My Blood Plus
by ForeverKariwe
Summary: A deeper look at the original story. Starts from the beginning, with original dubbed dialog. Some added scenes and chapters, and a continuation from where the original story leaves off. Please R&R
1. First Kiss

(Blood Plus is the property of its creators. I do not own Blood Plus, its original story line, or its characters. No copy right infringement intended.)

Greetings! Thank you for reading. I have been obsessed with this anime for a few years now, and have watched it several times. I love the characters and the plot. I have wanted to write a fic for it for a while now, and after much thought, I've come up with my idea. Essentially, I am starting from the beginning of the story and retelling it with my own observations, and mostly unaltered original dubbed dialog. As the story progresses, I plan to add my own chapters, and I even plan to continue the story from the show's cutting off point. Without further ado, I present:

My Blood Plus- Chapter 1: First Kiss

The world seemed to buzz around her as Saya Otonashi took deep, even breaths. She knew concentration was vital to her success. She closed her eyes, and bent over, her hands on her knees.

"K'mon Saya, you can do it!" Her best friend, Kaori cheered her on as she readied herself. She straightened up, and took one last breath. This was it; she was in the zone now. She could do this! She ran with all her strenth and jumped, launching herself into the air. Everything seemed to be moving in slow motion. She became intently aware of everything around her: the clouds, the sound of the air moving around her, even her own heartbeat. It was incredible. It all seemed so surreal. She was finally doing this, and she was going to make it! She was going to beat the record!

Or not. She smacked the blue safety mat hard, nearly throwing her backwards. Much to her dismay, she heard the pole hit the ground.

"Oh, almost!" Kaori called out. "You were _so _close! You _almost _cleared it! I mean really close!" The two were unaware that they were being watched. Just outside, barely hidden by some shrubbery, David and Lewis of the Red Shield observed Saya with great curiosity. It was strange, David thought, that she looked and acted so human. She was far from the mindless, blood thirsty monster he remembered. Still, he knew looks could be deceiving…

"If you get your butt just an inch higher," Kaori teased, pinching the toes of Saya's sneakers."You'll set a high school record!"

"Kaori…" Saya leaned up, grabbing her friend's hand. Kaori laid softly against Saya's stomach, which began to growl.

"Oh, your stomach's growling."

…

Not more than a few minutes later, the girls were eating their lunch under their favorite shady tree.

"God, I'm starving," Saya said, stabbing her chopsticks into her boiled egg. She shoved the whole thing in her mouth at once, and closed her eyes, savoring the taste. Yes, the boiled egg was her favorite food, especially so since her dad was such a good cook. Kaori watched with great curiosity as Saya ate. She took a sip from her thermos and giggled.

"What?" Saya asked, her mouth still full.

"You know Saya, if you ate a decent breakfast, you'd probably do a lot better."

"Hmm..." Saya considered. "Well, maybe, but I never eat before I work out. I like to stay light on my feet."

"Give me a break, Saya. You're as thin as a rail. And besides…"

"Besides what?" The two girls bumped sneakers playfully.

"You can eat anything and never get fat, so what's up with that?"

"Oh, I don't know," She said thoughtfully. She really didn't know. Saya had noticed that she seemed to eat more than anyone around her, and yet she was still a lean 98 pounds.

"Well I just _look _at pizza and gain three pounds," Kaori joked. She grabbed her friend in a playful hug and the two girls fell over, gigging.

"Hey, Kaori, stop! My lunch box!"

"Sorry!"

Their bliss was interrupted by the sound of a plane overhead. They watched with amazement and fear two small jets, then a larger one passed directly over them.

"That's one big airplane," Saya whispered, her brown eyes wide.

"I think it's a U.S. bomber."

"It's a bomber?"

"Yeah, a war plane. I wonder if it's going to the battlefield."

"You think so?" Saya stood up, facing Kaori, who still sat on the ground.

"Maybe. It kind of scares me. My friend's mom told me the bombers always take off from Okinawa. Ever since she can remember, and my mom says we need the American base to survive, but you know, I'm not so sure." She pulled her knees up and hugged them to her chest.

"I guess I don't know what to think," Saya said as she watched the planes fade into the distance.

"Oh yeah, Saya. I keep forgetting you can't remember anything beyond the past year, can you?"

"No, but it's just that airplane…" Saya shielded her eyes from the sun as the planes faded off into the distance. "Somehow, it looks very familiar."

"Saya!" her older brother, Kai Miyagusuku called, bringing her out of her contemplation.

"Time to go to the clinic," he waved, bike helmet in hand.

"Alright!" she called back.

"Oh, I'm so jealous. I wish I could ride with Kai,"Kaori said. Saya went back to her luchbox and began to quickly stuff as much food in her mouth as she could.

"Really?" she asked, her mouth full. "Why?"

"Because, he's so cool! You know every girl in school's after him." It was true, Kai was quite popular, especially with the girls. He was a fairly attractive boy, he rode a motorcycle, and hung out with all the right people.

"I'm worried about him, Kaori. He seems to be getting in a lot of fights at school lately. He came home the other night with all these cuts and bruises. It kind of freaked me out," Saya confided.

"He's a guy, what do you expect?" Saya watched as Kai turned around, impatiently holding his black helmet over his shoulder.

Saya moved back to her lunchbox, putting it in her bag.

"Thanks for your help this morning."

"You know, I wonder why he doesn't play baseball anymore," Kaori wondered aloud, still thinking about Kai.

"He used to play?"

"He used to be the star pitcher of our school team."

"Really?" Saya looked at Kaori, who picked a stray grain of rice off her face and ate it.

"I had no idea," Saya whispered, looking back at Kai in amazement.

"So are you comin' or not?" Kai yelled, unable to contain his impatience any longer.

"Be right there!" Saya finished putting what she believed were the last of her belongings in her duffle bag, neglecting to realize she forgot her sneakers.

"Now get to bed early, and be sure to eat before the competition," Kaori advised.

"Kay. See you tomorrow!" Saya waved at her friend as she ran over to where Kai was waiting.

…

"Thanks for the ride!" Saya yelled over the loud engine of Kai's motorcycle.

"Sure, not a problem." He was a good driver. He kept his eyes focused on the road as locks of spiky red hair poked out of his helmet.

"I'll just take the bus home, okay?" she said, not wanting to inconvenience him any further.

"Cool," he responded. She watched in awe as they passed some skyscrapers. The whole world still felt new to her. She was like an infant, seeing the world for the first time.

"Kai, I hear you used to play baseball," Saya said, as they approached a red light.

"Yeah, I quit right before you came to live with us."

"Huh. You'd think that after living with you guys for a year, I'd know more about you."

"Hey, the past is the past. Like dad always says, Saya, we're a family now, even if we're not really related by blood."

"You're right."

"So, you wanna take the highway, or the scenic route?" He already knew the answer to this question.

"The ocean!" Saya grinned.

Moments later, they were driving down a nearly empty, winding stretch of road. The late afternoon sun made the crisp, blue water of the ocean glimmer like thousands of tiny diamonds. Saya smiled dreamily as Kai continued to keep his eyes on the road. The ocean was nothing remarkable to him; he'd seen it his whole life. For Saya, however, it was delightful, so he drove by it to make her happy. He may have had a reputation for being an athlete and a bad boy, but ultimately his family was the most important aspect of his life, and Saya was family, even though they knew very little about one another.

…

As they drove by, an ominous looking black van with deeply tinted windows passed them.

"Have you located the mice?" The men in the van heard a voice ask from back at the general's office.

"We've extended the search area, but there's still no sign yet, sir." The Frenchman, Van Argiano nonchalantly popped a sour ball in his mouth as he listened to the general.

"We're doing our best to find the mice. But there is a limit to the number of officers we can assign to this. I'm sure you understand all this, miser…"

"Argiano. Van Argiano." He smiled condescendingly at the general. "I'm sure you're not thrilled to be taking orders from me, but it's clearly your fault that the mice have escaped, and I'm quite confident your superiors would agree with me. If they're not found soon, heads will roll, starting with yours, commander." He stood up, pointing an accusing finger at the man.

"I'm aware of that," the general said casually. This clearly egotistical man did not affect him.

"Very well then." Van faced the map of Japan on the wall behind him.

"If I were type B, where would I hide?"

"Probably in Koza."

"Koza?" Van examined a still wrapped candy in his fingers thoughtfully. "Hmm. In Okinawa city, right?" He pointed his candy at the map. Okinawa City it was…

…

"_Next up…serial killer strikes again in the Nago district. According to local police, the female victim was attacked and killed with a sharp blade. But because very little blood was found at the site where the body was discovered, police speculate that the victim was killed somewhere else. The investigation was continued-"_

Saya watched a bird outside the window as she lay in the hospital bed. She reached out and tried to touch it, considering the radio broadcast that was playing.

"Miss Otonashi?" Dr. Julia pulled the curtain back.

"Yes?"

"How do you feel? Have you regained any memory?"

"No, not really."

"I see. Well just relax and lie still until the I.V's done, alright?"

"Sure." These blood transfusions had been a little stressful to Saya at first, but she'd learned to deal with them. Now, it was a minor discomfort to her at the most. Julia was quite nice, too. The blonde woman was very serious, but there was a warmth to her. Still, it bothered her how much everyone pushed her to try and remember things. Saya sighed, and looked at the little window where the bird had been.

_What is there to remember anyway? _She thought.

…

Something unusual happened to Saya as she was walking back from the clinic. She was feeling quite down. All this not being able to remember anything, and being pushed so much to remember, was getting to her. Across the street, she heard the faint sound of music. A large crowd was gathered. As she got closer, she could hear the music better. It was a cello. Curious, she tried hard to see who was playing. It was a man. He wore a long, dark coat. His wavy hair was tied back, and bits of it hung over his expressionless face.

She stopped and listened to him play. His hand was heavily bandaged, but it held the bow gently none the less, and his movements were precise and skilled. There was something about this strange man and his music…

She closed her eyes. Images began to appear in her mind. A tunnel, and a light at the end.

_I wonder what it is. Try to remember…_

She was wearing a long dress, running through a stone hallway. Light shone through the windows. She ran into a courtyard, and into a tower. She ran up the stairs in the tower. Ivy grew up its walls. She turned a corner. There were roses. Lots of bright red roses and natural sunlight streaming through the windows. At the end of that hallway was a door. The door! She has a key in her hand, and she is going to unlock the door! But what does this mean? She puts the key in the lock, and turns it…

Saya's eyes flew open, and she gasped. In her mind, she can see the lock popping open. Something was wrong; she was not supposed to open that door!

"Stop!" she yelled out loud, falling face first into some bushes. The crowd turned and looked at her, whispering amongst themselves. She made eye contact with that strange man, and stood up quickly, turning red from embarrassment. As quickly as she could, she made her way down the sidewalk. The man watched knowingly. She was starting to remember.

…

Back home, in a park across the street, Saya's father was trying to teach her little brother Riku how to catch.

"Remember," he said, raising his arm. "The wrist is just an extension of the shoulder. He threw the baseball. Riku caught it in his glove.

"Don't forget to-"

"Yeah, yeah. I got it," Riku interrupted. "Keep your eye on the ball." Saya watched the game quietly.

"Pretend like you're pushing the ball toward me." Riku looked at the ball for a moment, and threw weakly. George laughed as he caught it.

"But put your wrist into it." He threw it back to Riku.

"Hey guys!" Saya called, distracting Riku, who, though he held his gloved hand up, missed the ball entirely. It came soaring over the fence, and Saya instinctively caught it.

"You know you're not supposed to play ball in this park." Riku smiled at his older sister.

"Saya, how'd you catch that?" he asked, amazed.

"I don't know, just luck I guess."

"A star outfielder in the making." George held up his glove.

"Oh dad, I don't think so. Baseball's not really my thing." She hurdled the ball through the air with great force,

"Ooh," George caught it, barely. "Maybe a star pitcher."

…

"So Saya," George began. "How was practice today?"

"It was fine," she said, setting her bag on the counter in her dad's bar and pub. "But I still have a lot of work to do on my high jump."

"Well," George said, watching as Riku made himself a glass of water from the soda machine. "Looks like someone had a good day."

"Yeah, overall not too bad." She unzipped the bag and dug through it, but wasn't finding her sneakers.

"Anyone special we should know about?" her father teased. Saya giggled, pulling her lunch box out in hopes that her shoes had been hiding underneath it.

"Oh no, where are my track and field shoes?"

"Did you lose your shoes again?" Riku teased.

"In the locker room? No maybe I left them under that tree." She turned to her father.

"Dad, I have to go back," she turned, and ran for the door.

"What? You mean now?"

"I need them for the meet tomorrow morning!" She leaned over the counter, holding up three fingers.

"I'll be back in thirty minutes! Don't start dinner without me, okay?"

"Alright." She reached over, pulling little Riku into a playful hug. It was a little too tight, causing the brown haired boy to wince.

"You promise, Riku?"

"Okay, better get going Saya," George said with a smile.

"I could just squeeze him to death," Saya said, her unrelenting death grip still tightly across Riku's shoulders.

"Aww, I can't breathe, Saya," Riku protested. She let go and made for the door once more.

"Hurry, I'm starving," Riku said.

"Don't worry, I will," she declared, her hand already on the doorknob. She pushed the door open, running into David.

"Uh, oh. Hi, Mr. David." She stood back, inviting the tall, blonde man in. David met her gaze, his face serious. For a moment, the two stared at each other wordlessly. George broke the silence.

"Is there something you need from my daughter, huh Mr. David?"

"I need to speak to you." The suited man said.

"Riku…why don't you go upstairs and watch T.V. or something?"

"Sure."

"Dad, should I-"

"You run along and get your shoes, Saya," he said casually. "Get going, now."

"Okay. Back soon." He watched as she left. He hadn't seen David in quite a while. This couldn't be good. Saya stood outside the window for a moment, watching David approach her father, before she made her way back to the school. If she had been paying attention, she would have seen that strange cellist from earlier, standing in the park across the street.

…

"It's been almost a year since the organization left Saya with you. Noticed any changes?" David asked George Miyagusuku.

"Even if there were, I wouldn't let you guys take her back," George said defensively. "She's my daughter."

"Your real daughter's dead," David reminded him coldly, causing George to grimace. David laid a manilla envelope on the counter, on top of Saya's luch box.

"This should cover you for the month." He turned and left the bar, leaving George to contemplate what he had said. George frowned as he picked up saya's lunchbox, ignoring the envelope completely. What did David know about family anyway?

…

The sun was nearly set. If Saya wasn't so athletic, she would have been exhausted from running all the way to the school. All she could think of was finding her shoes and getting home as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, it wouldn't be that easy. The gates to the school were closed. She jumped, trying to see over them.

"Oh, I knew it!" She said out loud. "Locked!" No matter. She jumped over the fence effortlessly. Nearby, a moth was resting on a lamp, fluttering its wings. Saya caught sight of its overwhelmingly large shadow on the wall. It looked like a monster to her. She turned and looked at its physical form, trying to remind herself that it was only a moth.

She took off toward the tree she and Kaori had eaten under earlier that day. She stopped, startled to see the Cellist standing in front of her. He began to walk toward her, taking slow, casual steps. His face still held no expression.

"Finally," he said in a low voice. "We meet."

"Huh?" He held up a dagger, which glinted in the moonlight. Saya's mouth gaped open in fear as she instinctively recoiled.

Saya ran as fast as she could, remembering the radio broadcast she'd heard earlier that day about the serial killer in the Nago district. She ran smack into the English teacher, Mr. Inamine. She screamed, frightening the man. "Huh? What the-!"

…

"So do you see him, Mr. Inamine?" Saya asked in a panicked voice as the teacher shone his flashlight on the tree.

"I don't see anyone," he said, walking around the tree.

"He was holding a dagger." She clung to one of the building posts. "I bet he's that serial killer from the Nago district. " The teacher held the flashlight under his chin, mocking Saya.

"We should call the police!" she insisted. Suddenly, a large, brown hand reached down from the tree, grabbing the man by his head and pulling him into the darkness. She heard a sickening crunching sound.

"Mr. Inamine?" Her voice shook as she nervously looked up into the tree's dark branches. "Somebody? Help!" The man's now lifeless, bloody body dropped to the ground in front of her, the shock of which caused her to fall on her butt. She couldn't believe what she'd seen. Horrified she looked up and saw blood running down the tree. A monster with long, sharp nails and teeth and bright, yellow eyes came down, crawling toward her. It jumped to the ground and stood, revealing its full size. It was massive, at least nine feet tall. It had a deep, menacing growl. It was hungry- hungry for blood.

Gasping, Saya stood up and ran as fast as she could to the school. As she did, that thing, that monster, let out the most horrifying, evil roar she had ever heard.

…

That same sound was captured on the radar the military were using to track the so-called "mice."

"Charlie to Bravo, Charlie to Bravo, please come in. Confirmed sighting of Jerry Mouse D5 to C7" The men's eye's grew wide as they listened through their head sets.

"We've just confirmed the same," the man in the gray shirt said.

"Dispatch Tom Cat to C7 pronto."

…

The helicopter with a cartoon of a laughing cat on the side lifted off. Joining several others in the night sky. This situation had to be dealt with as quickly and quietly as possible.

…

Back at pub Omoro, the manilla envelope still lay unopened on the counter. George sat in the back, depressed and unsure what to make of the day, and worried that Saya still hadn't come home. What if something was wrong? The scratchy radio music played for itself.

The door opened, revealing a familiar face.

"Hi Mr. Miyagusuku!"

"Hello Kaori," he stood, greeting the young girl. "So, what can I do for you?"

She was holding a red, drawstring bag.

"Well sir, it's for Saya." She extended the bag to him.

"She left her shoes at school."

"Oh, and she just went back to get them."

….

In a dark warehouse filled with boxes, a persistent high-pitched beeping was heard- Kai's cellphone.

"What is it, dad?" Kai asked, irritated. "I'm kinda busy." He shoved his hand into the pocket of his baggy black pants. All around him lay the unconscious forms of several guys who's asses he had kicked. "Alright, but get Saya's cell phone, will ya?" He hung up. Great, this was annoying. "Man, this really sucks." He said to no one in particular.

…

Saya ran into the school.

"Help! Help!" she called. "Anyone, please!" the door closed behind her. She locked it, letting out a sigh of relief. The monster shoved its way in, shattering the glass and throwing Saya back several feet. Saya lay face down on the floor, a cut on her leg seeping blood. She pushed her self up off the ground, another cut across her cheek bleeding as she watched the monster push the now empty doorframe out of its way. It was coming to get her. She limped as fast as she could, trying in vain to open a locked classroom door. She limped further down the hallway, only to be met with the cellist once again. He threw his dagger, which Saya was sure was destined to meet her face. Instead, it made contact with the monster's face. With one swipe of its hand, it knocked Saya into a classroom window, hitting her head so hard she fell to the ground, nearly becoming unconscious.

…

Outside the school, Kai was jumping the gate. He was beginning to become concerned for her safety.

"Saya!" he called.

…

The monster pulled the dagger from its eye, launching at the cellist.

…

Outside, Kai discovered the English teacher's body splayed across the ground, drained of his blood. Okay, something really messed up was happening there.

"What the hell is going on?" He picked up the flashlight that was dropped on the ground, and made his way into the building.

…

Saya watched, dazed, as the monster tried to attack the cellist, breaking multiple windows in the process. All the while, it roared its hideous roar. Who was this man, and why was he protecting her? Was he really on her side? In one swift motion, he swept her up in his arms and ran up the stairs. He took her into one of the chemistry rooms. They were safe for now, but he knew they didn't have long. The monster would be coming for them soon- it could smell Saya's blood. He had to act fast if they were to defeat it.

"It really hurts. What was that thing?" Saya asked. They both kneeled on the floor behind a table.

"Chiropteran," he said matter of factly. He had just finished bandaging Saya's leg.

"Chiropteran?" Saya said slowly, trying the word. The Cellist opened a secret compartment in his case, revealing a sword.

"A beast that lives on blood," he explained.

"Like a vampire?" The cellist removed the bandage from his hand, revealing a hand that looked just like that monster- that chiropteran's claw. Frightened, Saya watched as the man used the sword to draw blood from his hand.

"What are you doing?" He moved toward her, offering her the blood. She backed away.

"No, please. Stay away," she begged, trying in vain to escape him. Now he had her cornered. Her back was against the wall. His bloody chiropteran hand dripped on her thigh, up her skirt, and onto her white blouse.

"What-what do you want?" He opened his palm, and she screamed "no" shoving his arm out of the way.

"Leave me alone!" she was crying now. Just then, the Chiropteran burst through the door, its injured eye healing right before her eyes. The man began to suck the blood from his hand into his mouth.

The Chiropteran leaped at Saya, but the man pulled her away just in time. They were on the ground now. This was his chance.

…

Kai followed the droops of blood down the hall, using the flashlight he'd found next to the teacher's body to guide his way. Something was very, very wrong here. He just hoped he could find Saya in time…

…

"Please, stop," Saya begged, trying to crawl away. The man grabbed her. She was powerless against him. She was so weak. He laid her on the ground, and turned her face gently toward him. Her eyes closed as his lips met hers, and her mouth filled with blood. She was startled, but at the same time, there was something strangely intimate and comforting about it. He embraced her. The slightest trickle of blood spilled out of her mouth.

Kai arrived at the door, and was stunned by what he saw. This man, this really creepy man was kissing his sister, and blood was spilling out.

"Saya!" he called, shining his light on the pair.

"Saya?" he said again, as the man pulled away. He was startled by the angry roar of a monster across the room.

"What the hell?"

The man gently wiped the blood from Saya's mouth.

"Saya, you must fight now," he said. With that, Saya's eyes, grew a bright, crimson red. Battle images appeared in her mind. _Guns firing. Bombs. Running. _

Her wounds healed.

_A chiropteran. Fire. A little girl with wide, terrified eyes. _

She gripped the cellist's hand, her eyes distant.

In her memory, she saw the same man, dressed in old fashioned clothing.

_That courtyard again. The tower. The lock falling to the floor_.

Tears stung in her eyes. "Please stop," she begged.

No! The door, it was opening. Why is the door opening?

Finally, a strange power consumed her. She would fight.


	2. Magic Words

(I do not own Blood Plus, its characters, or its dialog. Blood Plus is the property of its creators. No copyright infringement intended.)

Welcome back and thank you for reading. I really do appreciate it. I plan on posting 1-2 chapters a week, so expect a chapter in that time frame. Enjoy

Chapter 2- Magic Words

It was now completely dark outside. The pitch black cover of darkness, with only the slight glow of Kai's flashlight, was like the perfect backdrop for a horror movie. Kai, tough fighter he was, was completely paralyzed with fear when confronted by the Chiropteran. He sank to the floor as it lunged at him, screaming and covering his head, fearing the worst.

Much to his surprise, when he looked up again, he wasn't dead. Instead, the Chiropteran stood over him, panting. Across the room, he watched as that creep helped Saya off the floor. She looked weird, too, like she was in a trance or something.

"Sword," she demanded, her hand outstretched behind her. It was so strange, watching her unsheathe it, and the strange passion that grew in her eyes.

The chiropteran stood, white, frothy saliva dripping from its teeth, and roared with such ferocity that all of the windows in the classroom shattered in an instant. It leaped, intent on striking Saya, who skillfully avoided it completely. There was a strange air of confidence about her that was unfamiliar to Kai, who still sat frozen with fear in the doorway.

Saya forced the Chiropteran to the ground in a heap of dust, and put her thumb to the edge of her sword, filling its crevices with plenty of blood. Somehow, she instinctively knew just the right amount of blood that was needed to slay the beast.

It came at her fast, and with one swift blow, she slashed it across its chest. The chiropteran was strong though, and she pushed hard as she struggled to work the sword in further. The beast groaned, and with one final heave, Saya cut it clean in half, spraying an excessive amount of blood all over the room.

"Sa-Saya?" Kai grabbed the doorframe, his eyes wide. She stood in the beam of his flashlight, covered in blood, and still in her strange trance.

"Kai?" she asked, in a voice unfamiliar to her. She turned, catching a glimpse of her reflection in one of the cabinet windows. She began to tremble so forcefully that her sword cluttered to the floor. She was herself again. Horrified, she took a few steps back, sobbing tearlessly. She covered her ears.

"No!" she screamed. Suddenly, it was like all the energy was sucked out of her. She fainted, falling into the arms of the cellist.

"You are beginning to wake up," he said to her unconscious form.

"Wake up? What did you do to Saya?" an outraged Kai approached the man, who spared him not more than a glance over his shoulder.

"You and that thing. What the hell is going on?" The cellist ignored him, walking toward the open windows.

"Hey, wait!" Kai called after them, following close behind. As the approached the windows, they could hear the sound of helicopters outside the building. The U.S. military was surrounding the school. Kai ducked, avoiding the search beam of one of the choppers. He looked up with wide eyes as the strange man grabbed him by his left arm, yanking him upward.

…

The military invaded the school, checking every hallway, classroom, and dark corner. They took in the damage through night vision goggles, searching the building for intruders and potential victims. The body of the English teacher, Mr. Inamine, was discovered quickly, and would have to be quietly examined and disposed of before any information was given to the public.

…

Van Argiano flicked a bon bon back and forth over the map of Japan.

"At school, huh? He pushed the candy one last time, revealing a red X on the map.

"It should all be over now," he said confidently, reclining back in his chair. It felt good to be the big man in charge. He turned toward the commander.

"There's no need to stress about it." The commander leaned on his desk, his hands together and his brow furrowed in contemplation.

"You are safe and sound," Van assured him.

"Perhaps, but it's those brave soldiers that are under my command that I'm concerned about. They're _not _your puppets."

"Hmm," Van shrugged. Just then, a report came in.

"_Target to control, over."_

"More quickly than I expected," Van commented.

"The extent of the damage?" the commander asked.

"_No casualties on our side. We've searched the area and retrieved the body of a Japanese man, and the remains of some monster. There was no one else here."_

"Hmm?" The commander straightened up, surprised.

"Interesting," said Van. A wicked grin spread over his face. "The mouse was dead. "

…

The cellist landed safely outside the building, dropping Kai on the ground carelessly. He straightened up, only to realize that the man had dropped them on the roof of another building. He watched as the man kneeled over Saya, who was starting to wake up.

"Kai?" she whispered, her face bloody, her black hair amuck, and her eyes still closed. He rushed to her side.

"Saya…Can you hear me? Saya?" He turned to the man.

"You bastard, what did you do?" It was useless; he was already gone. After looking around and making sure he was gone, Kai turned his attention to Saya.

"Saya?" It was no use. She'd fallen unconscious again. Kai knew he needed to take her to a hospital immediately.

…

Even after the wall clock in the hospital struck midnight, Kai was still by Saya's side, watching her intently. He wasn't about to let anyone hurt her again. What they'd seen that night had been horrific, and he didn't quite understand it, to say the least, but he knew with great certainty now that he must protect her. It was his duty.

That's why, even though he was exhausted, Kai was hesitant to leave, even after their father showed up.

"Hey dad," Kai greeted George as he let himself in. Julia was rummaging around in some medical supplies, trying to give them space.

"How is she?" George asked, his voice low. Kai looked back at Saya, his expression sad. He was worried that she still hadn't woken up.

"Kai," Julia began, standing up. "When you brought her in here, she was covered with blood." Julia attached a fresh pouch of blood for Saya's I.V. and hung it.

"Her pulse is normal, and she's stabilizing. She needs to rest," she explained.

"Of course," George responded. Julia pulled a basket out from under Saya's hospital bed. It contained her bloody clothes.

"We'll get rid of her school uniform."

"Yes," George said.

"I'll be back to check on her later," Julia said, smiling gently as she let herself out.

"Dad?" Kai began. "I saw Saya-" George put his hand gently on his son's head, silencing him. He knew the entirety of Saya's past, and could guess with great certainty what Kai had seen Saya do, but it wasn't a conversation he wanted to have, and he believed it would be better for Kai that way.

"Riku is worried," he said. "Now, go home and get some sleep." Kai sighed. He got up and stuffed his pants in his pockets, trudging away. _I couldn't do anything to help her, _he thought as he let himself out of the room and into the dark, empty hallway. Overwhelmed, he beat his head on the wall. For a while, he stayed there, feeling completely helpless.

"Dammit."

…

The next day was a bright and clear one, despite the events of the previous night. Kai who didn't get home until after one in the morning, awoke at 7:30 to find Riku cheerfully working in the kitchen, a small smile on his face.

"Morning Kai," he greeted his brother. "Breakfast is almost ready." Kai, looked at his brother, sleepily scratching his stomach. He couldn't quite figure out why Riku was so damn cheerful. It was true the boys were quite different. Kai was serious and athletic. And, while he was quick to react strongly to situations and become angry, Riku was cheerful and tried to remain optimistic, no matter what.

"Dad didn't come home last night, did he?" Riku asked, skillfully finishing up what he was cooking in the skillet.

"Right," Kai turned on the TV and sat down at the table. To his surprise, the news was on. On the screen, he could see a large crowd gathered at the school.

_"We now go live to the scene of the grizzly crime…" _

"Kai, that's your school they're talking about, isn't it?" Riku asked. Both boys stared in shock as the reporter told, much to Kai's dismay, a completely fabricated story.

_"An arrest was made early last night," _the female reporter in the purple pants suit said. _"Police believe the suspect taken into custody is responsible for the series of bloody murders that began in the Nago district." _

"Taken into custody?" Kai couldn't believe what he was hearing.

_The suspect in question is twenty-one year old U.S. Marine Private first class Charles Hatcher. Hatcher allegedly entered the school grounds of Koza High School at approximately eight p.m. and murdered Mr. Junichiro Inamine, an English teacher working late, and barricaded himself in the facility, and after a short standoff, surrendered and was taken into custody by the military." _

Across town, George was watching the same broadcast, and couldn't believe what he was seeing either. Whatever horror his kids had gone through the night before was being covered up, for whatever reason, by the U.S. Military.

_ According to an unidentified military officer, the suspect had a severe drug and alcohol problem. The military has denied Okinawa P.D. access to the site. The marines are also refusing to extradite the suspect and release the body of the victim according to the status of forces agreement. Fierce public backlash regarding this matter has already begun. _

…

Kai stood on the sidewalk in front of the school later that morning, his black bag over his shoulder. He frowned as he saw the large crowd of news reporters that was gathered in front of the gates. They were apparently trying to bypass the U.S. military, who were guarding the school.

_Great, _he thought. Suddenly, a pair of pale, nicely manicured hands wrapped around his shoulders. Mao.

"What's up with you, you grumpy face?" she teased.

"Mao," he acknowledged her, but turned his attention back to the mob.

"They think they can do anything just because they're the military. You know they won't even let the Japanese police in there?" Much to her dismay, Kai proceeded to walk away without her.

"Hey, wait Kai!" she called out. "Where are you going?" It was going to be a long day.

…

Inside the military base, the dead, ashen-colored body of the chiropteran lay on an examination table. Men in yellow biohazard suits gathered, ready to start the autopsy. Observing from behind a window was none other than Van Argiano.

"Slice the mouse in half like a piece of cheese," he said, staring at the body in fascination. "Now, where could the other one have gone?"

"We're still searching, sir," said one of the men, who began to slice across the creature's head. They had to be very careful, for zooanthropy was highly contagious, and it would only require a small amount of blood to become infected.

"I never dreamed the mouse would come back to us on a slab!" Van stood, gesturing dramatically. "This is not good. Don't you agree?"

"I'm trying to work Mr. Argiano!" One of the men yelled.

"Stop your whining," Van said, suddenly serious. How dare he talk to him that way?

"The question is, just who could do such damage to our precious little mouse, and then walk away unharmed?"

…

Back in the hospital, Saya was starting to wake up. She turned her head and opened her eyes to find her father sitting by her side.

"Father?"

"Saya. How are you feeling?"

"I…I…"

"You collapsed at the school," George explained carefully.

"At the school? Last…night I went back to get my shoes…but…but I can't remember…" She closed her eyes, trying to remember. "It had to be something very important, I think. The competition!"

"Now, now. Don't you worry, Saya. There's always the next one."

"Um hmm." Suddenly, Saya's stomach growled. Embarrassed, she covered her face with her blanket. George just laughed.

"I picked you up a little something," he said, putting a plastic grocery bag on Saya's bed.

"I figured you'd be hungry when you woke up."

"Thanks, dad. Thank you." Moments later, she hungrily chewed some sushi.

"Here, try this," George offered her something still in a package.

"'Kay." George heard something outside the door. When he opened it, he discovered it was David.

"David?"

"I need to speak with you."

"Saya, I have to go downstairs for a while, so promise me you'll eat," he called back to her.

"Promise," she said, her mouth still full.

…

After school, Kai stuck around, not ready to go home. He sat by himself on the stone wall that separated the street from the sidewalk, thinking. He felt awful, and not just because he'd barely slept.

"Kai?" his thoughts were interrupted once more by Mao Jahana. Why couldn't she just leave him alone?

"How long are you going to pout?" she asked, sitting down just feet away from him. "Listen, why don't we go to the American mall? I hear they've got really good movies."

"No, not today," he said, his eyes fixed to the ground. Couldn't she see he wanted to be alone? She was frustrated now, and getting in his face. Mao didn't like to be told "no."

"What's the matter with you?" she demanded to know.

"It's really none of your business, Mao."

"Ugh!" She stood up, balling her fists in outrage. "This is all because of your sister, isn't it? Ever since she started living with you and your family, she's been nothing but trouble."

"You're just imagining that."

"What happened?" She pulled back. "Kai, you've changed so much. You're really nothing at all like the great guy I used to know. I'm tired of you moping around like you did last year when you were injured and had to quit baseball. What's up with you, huh? The Kai I remember liked to go to parties, movies, hang out and laugh. You used to have fun." What she said was true. Things had changed since he quit baseball. But who was she to act like she knew him so well? Sure, they had gone out a few times. And yeah, she was attractive, beautiful even. And they had shared experiences. But to Kai, they had _only _been experiences, nothing more. Clearly, Mao had gotten the wrong idea, and now he was going to have to draw the line.

"You're right," he said, a giant, sarcastic grin fixed to his face. "I haven't been myself. But you know, you snapped me out of it, so thanks. Time to have fun without _you_," he said, poking her in her forehead. As he walked away, glad to be away from her and amused with himself, Mao called out, "Kai, you're an ass!"

…

The hospital waiting room was empty except for George and David. As soon as they sat down, David jumped right to the point.

"According to our investigation, not only did they have to remove a dead man from the high school, but also the corpse of a slain monster. I'm sure you can probably figure out what happened there, can't you George?"

"David, weren't you going to wait until she remembers all this on her own?"

"I'm sure it was Saya that killed the monster. I don't know what triggered it. But she seems to be waking up. We need her back." George thought about this for a second.

"Do you want me to tell her everything?" he asked.

"There is no guarantee that she won't repeat what happened back in Vietnam. But it's a risk we are willing to take."

….

Saya stretched, content with having finished the rest of her lunch.

"I'm stuffed," she said aloud. "I guess I should get dressed," she said, noticing the purple bundle that contained her clothes on the nightstand. She pulled on her clothes and fixed her hair with her fingers, carefully checking her appearance in the mirror. That's when it happened.

Before her eyes, Saya saw an image of herself, crimson-eyed and covered in blood.

"What…what was that?" More images invaded her mind. Mr. Inamine's dead body from the night before. A chiropteran claw. The cellist. The beast's glowing yellow eyes. Her eyes again, red with fire and bloodlust. She looked down at her hands, imagining them covered in blood.

"No!" She shut her eyes tightly, trying to chase the horrific images from her mind. She opened them again, and looked down at her hands, which trembled madly but were completely clean of any blood.

"I just…at the school. Where's dad?" Panicked, she quickly made her way through the hallway. She stopped partway as she was walking down the stairs.

"But Saya is-"

"Why are you hesitant?" David asked. It's necessary you return Saya to us." He sat at the end of a row of chairs, wearing a black suit and tie. His hands were clasped in his lap. She heard her father sigh.

"I don't think that will make her happy."

"Happiness? Have you forgotten the significance of her existence? Saya is the only weapon in the world that will allow us to fight against them. There is no one else that can stop them. "

"She is my daughter," George said firmly.

"George, don't tell me you forgot. You know what happened during the Christmas bombing in Vietnam. How much longer can you keep pretending to play family with Saya? You realize you've become much too attached to her. But remember, Saya will fight, fight, and fight until the end."

Saya couldn't believe what she was hearing. She clutched her shoulders, trying to physically hold herself together.

"She was born just for that, and you'll never change her."

"Alright." George gave in. "I'll talk to her tomorrow." David stood up.

"It has to be tonight. We're running out of time." He turned and left. As George was about to walk up the stairs to Saya, he saw another one of the exit doors close.

"She couldn't have!" He walked as quickly as he could to Saya's room, which he found empty.

"Saya?" Just then, Kai walked in the door.

"Kai."

"Dad, what's wrong?"

"Saya has gone somewhere."

"What did you say?"

…

"Hello? Miyagusuku residents," back at pub Omoro, Riku cheerfully answered the phone.

"Oh, hi Kai."

"Is Saya home?" Kai asked hopefully.

"No. She's not here right now."

"Oh. Okay bro. Talk to you later." He hung up and put the cell phone back in his pocket.

"Well, it looks like Saya's not home."

"What now?" George asked, his arms crossed.

"I'm gonna go," Kai said.

"But where are you going?"

"I know a place. Trust me."

…

Saya sat on the beach, bathing in the orange glow of the sunset. Nearby, a young girl was playing with her dad. Saya longed for what that girl had. She wanted a dad that was all hers to play and laugh with. She didn't want to be a monster.

Seemingly out of nowhere, she heard the sound of a Cello. When she turned her head, she saw that man again, sitting just yards behind her. She got up and approached him slowly, carefully deciding what she was going to say to him.

"Who are you?" The man continued to play, his eyes closed in deep concentration.

"Tell me, do you know who I am?" She demanded. He opened his eyes, but did not cease to play.

"Do you know _what _I am? Please just answer me!" He finished the last notes of the song, and withdrew the bow gently. He was a very patient man.

"I'll tell you, but once you know the truth about yourself, there's no turning back." Before he'd even finished speaking, they could hear Kai's motorcycle approaching.

"Saya," he called out, parking his bike and running to her. Displeased, the man began to put his Cello back in the case.

"You bastard!" Kai yelled. He took a swing, but the cellist dodged him effortlessly. Saya watched as Kai continued to lunge at him, and the Cellist dodged him step for step.

"Damn you!" Kai threw one last punch, but the man caught him, launching him into the air and flipping him on his back. Saya ran to where Kai lay, covering him with her body to prevent any further assault.

"That's enough! Please stop!" She begged. Kai winced in pain, his back aching.

"Saya…" Kai was surprised to find Saya protecting him. Surprised, and well, amazed.

"If that is your wish, then I will be certain to obey your will, Saya."

"What?" As soon as she looked up, the man was gone.

"That man. I think he knows something about my past," she told Kai, who sat up, rubbing his head.

"Did he tell you anything?" Kai asked, starting to feel guilty for interrupting.

"No," she looked down, sadly. "Nothing."

A while later, they were staring up at the night sky. The sun had set, and a large, crescent moon illuminated the night sky. Kai lay on his back, his legs crossed and his arms behind his head, and Saya sat with her knees pulled up to her chest.

"I don't know what happened to me at school," she confided in him. "I woke up and there was…blood…all over. I don't even know who or what I am."

"Don't worry," Kai said. He uncrossed his legs and sat up. "I'll always be by your side, Saya, no matter what. Riku and dad'll be there, too. We are a family. So you gotta remember. You'll always be a part of the family." He smiled at her. "An important part of the family."

"Kai," she smiled back at him, feeling touched by his words.

"Nunkurunaisa."

"Huh? Nunkurunaisa?"

"It means it'll all work out." Kai stood, putting his hands in his pockets. "Dad likes to say that a lot. Like when you first came to live with us. Or like when I quit baseball and started getting into all kinds of trouble. Whatever will be, will be. It's a magic word."

"Nunkurunaisa," Saya repeated, smiling at her feet.

"You got it, Saya."

"Yeah," She wiped a tear from her eye as her stomach began to growl.

"Let's go home," Kai laughed.

"Let's," she agreed.

The cellist watched from a distance.

…

David sat in the van, conducting business over the phone. "Of course, yes," he responded. "Yes, I am aware of the danger. But it's important we get Saya back in our control." He hung up the phone. He picked up the picture that was laying on the dash, and turned it over. It was a picture of Saya and the Cellist, dating back to the late 1800's.

Lewis tapped on the window, prompting David to roll it down.

"Bad news sir. It is confirmed, it looks like another mouse is running loose through the city. "

"I see."

The problem was more dire than they thought.

…

Back at Omoro, Riku turned as the door opened. "Welcome back," he greeted them politely.

"Saya!" George called, pleasantly surprised.

"Hey dad."

"You're probably hungry, right?" George asked.

"Dad tried out a whole bunch of new recipes," Riku explained as he sat the last of the dishes on the table. Indeed, their father had prepared quite a feast. George turned his head as the phone rang. He wondered who could be calling at this hour.

"Hello there, this is Omoro. George Miyagusuku speaking." In the background, he heard a man moaning, and the persistent yapping of a puppy.

"Hello? Hello..." He hung up.

"What's wrong, dad?" Riku asked.

"Just a wrong number I guess," he said, not wanting to worry the kids.

…

Inside the phone booth, the man sat against the wall. The phone hung over his shoulder, it's busy signal protesting. He breathed heavily under his hood. His flesh began to crack, and a chiropteran claw formed from what was a human hand. In one swift motion he struck, silencing the poor, yapping puppy once and for all, and draining it of its blood.

He needed help, and he knew just where to go to find it.


	3. The Place Where it All Began

(I do not own Blood Plus. No copyright infringement intended)

Chapter 3- The Place Where It All Began

_George Miyagusuku stood atop the massive flight of stone steps, soaked from the rain. He stared at the naked body of the young girl he'd been entrusted to. Saya. He swallowed hard as he pointed the gun at her. She was waking up, and there was a fairly high chance she would try to kill him. _

_ He walked closer, standing directly above her, and pointed the gun at her head. She grabbed his ankle. He jumped back, his green eyes wide with fright. He stepped back, keeping his gun on her as Saya sat up, her long black hair flowing around her. She was truly a beautiful, terrifying creature. _

_ To his surprise, Saya looked at him, tilting her head curiously and smiling. They stayed that way for a while, Saya smiling as she gripped George's ankle, and Georges gun pointed shakily at her. The rain began to pick up in intensity. _

_It was the beginning of their story. _

…

George helped a customer out of his bar. He guided the man, who could barely walk and had his arm around his shoulder. He'd had too much to drink; a fairly regular occurrence, even at Omoro.

"Now, take it easy buddy," George saw the man off. He practically limped down the street.

"I'll be fine," the man slurred. George stretched, smiling. All in a day's work.

"A beautiful day, and I'll be stuck inside, " he complained to himself. Saya stepped out of the pub, unsure of how to approach her father.

"Morning Saya," he greeted her. She hesitated. The conversation she had overhead him have with David was still fresh in her mind, and she didn't quite feel welcome there.

"Hi dad," she said uncertainly.

"Better get going or you'll be late," he said. "Something's bothering you, isn't it? What's the matter?"

"It's okay for me to stay here, right?"

"What?" he was genuinely surprised by the question. Did she really feel that way?

"Sorry, never mind." She faked a smile and hurried on her way. "See you later!"

George could only stand there as she ran off. Quietly, David approached.

"Mr. David," he greeted the man without any pleasantries.

…

In the school gym, they were having a memorial for the teacher that had been slain, Mr. Inamine. Saya listened, gripped with sadness, as the principal gave his Eulogy.

"Mr. Inamine was a very passionate teacher," he began. "And very popular among the students." The media were gathered all around the school to film the tribute. It had been that way the past few days; the school was swamped with reporters.

"But his body still remains in military custody, and has not yet been returned to his family. We offer our sincere condolences to the entire Inamine family."

The man continued to speak, but all Saya could hear were the curious whispers of her classmates.

"So what about the funeral?" one girl asked her friend.

"Well I heard they can't plan anything yet," another girl answered.

"That sucks."

"This is just horrible. My mom says everyone working at the base is stressed out, and no one knows what's going on, Kaori whispered to Saya, who was too lost in thought to listen. For Saya, the most horrible part of the assembly was knowing that, aside from Kai, she was the only one who knew the truth about Mr. Inamine. She had been the one who watched him die, and no one would ever know just how horrible his death had been.

"Saya, did you hear what I said?" Saya turned her head.

"Yes I did," she responded.

"Now, I'd like to ask for a moment of silence in remembrance of the late Mr. Junichiro Inamine." The hundreds of students who were all lined up in rows, all closed their eyes, except for Saya. Her thoughts were on that monster and its glowing yellow eyes. She remembered, with great detail, the sounds of Mr. Inamine's screams as the creature pulled him up into the tree and devoured his blood.

…

Saya stood before the stump of the tree, which had been cut down after the U.S. military raided the school. Now, it served as a makeshift memorial for the teacher. One person had even left a bouquet of flowers.

_They don't understand, _Saya thought. She turned and looked down the empty hallway, where much of the violence had taken place. It was promptly cleaned and repaired, and it looked as if nothing had ever happened there.

Feeling numb, Saya walked to the Chemistry room she'd hidden in that night. Slowly, carefully, she let herself in the room, remembering bits and pieces of that night that she hadn't remembered before. The chiropteran lunging at her. A kiss, filled with blood.

_One by one, every trace of what happened that day is being erased. _She walked back down the stairs. All around her, students were passing by, living their ignorant, blissful, uncomplicated lives. _No one would ever know the truth. _

It was a fact that, like it or not, Saya would have to get used to.

…

"The cleanup went smoothly. We were able to control the situation," Van Argiano told the men in the military control center.

"By the way," he asked the man wearing the green headset. "Have we located the second mouse yet?"

"The team is still searching, sir," he responded, monitoring the computer carefully. Van played with a blue-wrapped bon bon.

"What I wouldn't give to get a look at the Samurai Man that sliced that mouse in half. Peppermint, anyone?"

"Please, Mr. Argiano, this is a very sensitive operation," the man in the pink shirt said.

"My apologies, sir" Van said, with exaggerated false sincerity. "I'll be quiet."

"Why is this guy here?" the man in the pink shirt asked aloud.

"It's an order from above," the man with the headset responded. Van popped the peppermint in his mouth.

"I can't wait for the second mouse to show up. I wonder where he is?

…

The city bus came to a stop, letting off the hooded man. He sat in the shade in the tall grass behind the bus stop, hitting his head on the wall over and over again. Time was running out. He sank to the ground, his eyes bright red. He checked the street sign. Okinawa City. He was almost there.

"George."

…

George sat alone at the empty bar. Splayed across the countertop were photos of his life, and his children. He stopped on a picture of Saya's first day of school from the previous year. She stood outside the gates, blushing. In another picture, Saya was asleep at the bar, and Riku was standing behind her, making bunny ears on her head with chopsticks.

"You haven't told her yet," he heard David say. "What's the point in putting it off? We have very little time, and very few options at our disposal, George."

"I couldn't…Can't we wait until she remembers on her own like we had planned?"

"The situation has changed," David explained again. "We've just been informed that there is another one out there. So if it was possible to tell her everything from the get-go, we would've done so." George frowned at David's words. He knew everything the man said was true, but still. He couldn't change that Saya was his daughter, and he didn't want to hand her over to fight.

"But we learned in Vietnam what can happen if we force her," David continued. "That's why we've only observed her up to this point, and we don't want to over stimulate her either. You have to talk to her George." The pendulum in the clock ticked on, emphasizing the time that was being lost. "Whether you like it or not. I'll give you until sunset. We can't wait beyond that."

The clock chimed, causing George to look up in surprise. 2:30 already; Saya and Kai would be getting out of school soon.

"Until sunset," he finally agreed.

…

The last bell had rung, and a very worried Kaori was looking for her friend. Saya hadn't been acting like herself lately. Usually, Saya would wait for her after the bell rang so the two could hang out or walk home together, but today she was no where to be found.

"Saya!" Kaori finally found her, walking by herself. She put her hand on Saya's back, startling the girl.

"Saya, what is going on with you?"

"Kaori!" Saya exclaimed, surprised.

"Listen, I know it's been a really horrible week for you, but try to cheer up, okay?" Kaori gently encouraged her friend.

"Okay," Saya said, looking at the ground.

"Wait a second," Kaori said, her eyes narrowing.

"What is it?"

"Something else is bothering you…" She said, leaning in close.

"Things are a…little weird at home," Saya explained carefully. Kaori closed her eyes.

"I knew it," she said sadly. "Kai probably got into another fight yesterday, didn't he?"

"No, it has nothing to do with Kai."

"Hey, I have an idea!" Kaori suddenly perked up. "Lets go out to lunch together!" Food always seemed to cheer Saya up.

"Oh, I don't know." Saya wasn't really in the mood to hang out, even if it involved food. Her stomach, on the other hand, disagreed with her, growling in protest.

"If it weren't for me, Saya, you'd never eat!" Kaori giggled. "Come on, let's get moving," Kaori began to push Saya, despite her protests.

Inside the van, George honked the horn, causing both girls to stop.

"Huh?" were both surprised to see him there.

"Hey girls!" George called out the window, waving to them.

"Uh, hi dad." Saya walked over to the van. "Dad, what're you doing here?"

"I need to show you something," he said, his face serious.

…

Riku and Kaori sat at the dining room table in Kaori's apartment.

"I just can't believe your dad and saya took off like that," Kaori said. Riku looked up from his book.

"Whenever they have something to talk about, they disappear," he explained. If it bothered him, he didn't let on. "But I guess I've gotten used to it by now," he said, smiling. "Sorry I'm spending the night again."

"Oh, no problem. My mom really likes it when you come over, don't you mom?"

"So Riku, what would you like for dinner tonight?" Kaori's mother asked.

"I want rice and curry!" Kaori shouted.

"I didn't ask you."

"Oh," Kaori said sadly. "Gee, thanks."

"I'll eat anything," Riku said politely.

"Anyway, I wonder where he went," Kaori wondered aloud. "With Saya." Riku returned his gaze to his book, quietly wishing she would drop the subject. "Who knows?"

…

George drove past the US Base. The two had sat quietly in the van for the duration of the trip. Saya didn't know what to expect. She still wasn't even sure her father wanted her anymore. She gazed at the familiar ocean scenery out her window, and then back at her father. George's face was serious, and fixed to the road in front of him.

They arrived at their destination just minutes later. The sun was setting, and the steps before them were illuminated by the orange glow. They began their ascension quietly, with George leading and Saya following close behind.

At the top of the stairs was a stone room. Saya gazed at it, her eyes wide.

"A grave?" she asked.

"This is the grave site of the Miyagusuku family," George explained. "My mother and my father in law are here, my wife and daughter who died in a terrible, terrible accident. Everyone is buried here, and some day, I will be buried along side them. You and I, Saya, we both started here."

"Started here? What do you mean?" George took a deep, audible breath.

"You started living as my daughter right here in Okinawa, and tomorrow, your new life begins."

"My new life? Is Mr. David coming to take me away?"

"Huh? How do you know that?"

"It's just that I heard everything that you and Mr. David said the other day at the clinic," Saya said quickly.

"I see." George had suspected as much. "A long time ago, Saya, I was a soldier fighting in the Vietman War." He closed his eyes, remembering. "Back then, someone I owed my life to entrusted you to me. I was asked to watch over you through the years, until you woke up."

_George remembered himself standing in front of the family tomb one night. He trembled with fear and anticipation. _When will you wake up? _He thought. _What do I do when you wake up? _He pulled his pistol from the pocket of his khaki shorts, the same shorts he still wore today. _

"I started living here in Okinawa with all these unanswered questions. At first, I'd planned to go back to the states, but I was comfortable living here. So I left the US military, opened the pub, got married, and started a happy, normal life. Then I lost my wife and daughter in an accident." He could still remember, quite well, the flashing police lights that night, and the sight of the bus lying on its side at the bottom of the cliff. "I thought about killing myself. But at that moment, even though you were still sleeping, your heartbeat sounded like it was telling me to keep living. Ever since then, I decided to live to the fullest. I adopted Kai and Riku, as they were orphaned after their parents died in an accident. I worked as hard as I could. I did my best. Kai and Riku grew up, and you kept sleeping." _When will you wake up? What do I do when you wake up? _The questions echoed in his mind.

"I had all the time in the world to think. I never came up with the answers. Then, a year ago you woke up. But you didn't know who you were. So I decided he right thing to do was to raise you here as my daughter."

Just as Saya was beginning to take it all in, George's cell phone rang. They were both well aware of who was calling.

"Hello?"

"Time's up," David said on the other end.

"Alright," George said softly, feeling defeated. He hung up.

"We need to go," he told Saya. "There is someone waiting for you back at home, Saya." He made his way over to the stairs.

"I…what am I supposed to do now?" she asked, her back to her father.

"When the time comes, you'll know."

"So what do I tell Kai and Riku?"

"I'll talk to them."

…

Kai spent that evening at the gas station, doing maintenance on his bike.

"So what's wrong with your bike, dude?" the friend in the blue shirt and the ponytail asked.

"Nothing, just need to give it a tune-up before I take Saya over to the North end of the island later on tonight."

"Saya, your little sister?" The friend in the red shirt with the afro asked. "Well what for?"

"Well, she's been having a hard time lately so I thought I'd take her for a ride, ya know? Just to cheer her up a little bit, no big deal." Ponytail friend laughed out loud.

"When did you turn into Mr. Nice Guy?" he teased.

"Got smacked in the head a little too hard in your last fight?" afro friend joked. As the two laughed together, a car pulled up at a pump near by. A man stepped out, talking on his cell phone.

"Right, that's right. This is beyond strange, yeah. I pulled every string possible but I can't get any information on it. Yeah, uh huh. Well, the military has done some crazy things," he explained to the person on the other end of the phone as he tossed his change up and down in his palm. "But there's never been a case where the victim's body was not returned." He closed his hand, causing one of the coins to fall to the ground and roll away. It rolled over by Kai, who promptly returned it when the man walked over to him.

"I'm headed out to Tedia now." He thanked Kai and continued his far from private conversation.

"I'm determined to get to the bottom of this story, no matter what it takes." He got in his car, which was dingy and old, and slammed the door.

"He must be a reporter," the friend with the afro said as the man drove off.

"Sounds pretty desperate," the friend with the ponytail remarked. Kai noticed a hooded figure walking around across the street.

"Is that Forrest?" he wondered.

"Oh, the loser who used to hand out at your dad's pub, the marine they called Forrest the Whiner?" asked the ponytail friend.

"Yeah, every time something happened to him at the base he came crying to my dad for help."

"Last I heard he got an honorable discharge or somethin' and was coming back to the states," ponytail friend remarked. "Hey, Forrest!" he called out. The man turned, his face well hidden under his hood. Kai was shocked by his appearance none the less, noticing his red eyes. A covered van passed by and, in an instant, he was gone.

"Dude…he's gone!" Ponytail friend exclaimed.

"Watch my bike for me," Kai said hurriedly.

"Hey Kai," afro friend called after him as he took off after Forrest. It was useless; he was already gone.

…

The black van with the satellites was pulled over on the side of the road a little further down, in active observation.

"We've located it. We're tracking it now," one of the men said over his head set.

"So it appears it was worth waiting here after all," Van commented, looking over the man's shoulder at his computer screen.

"We have its location," the man said, zooming in closer and closer to the highlighted point on his map.

…

George's white van pulled to a stop back at Omoro.

"So when I leave home, I won't be coming back," Saya said sadly.

"Let's go," George said, opening the door. The two went inside to find David sitting in the dark, leaning on the counter. His arms were crossed.

"Mr. David," Saya said.

"It is way past the deadline," David said.

"Don't you think I know that?" George replied.

"I'm a member of an organization called the Red Shield," David explained to Saya.

"What is Red Shield?"

"The Red Shield was established to accomplish one mission: in that incident that occurred at the school you came in contact with a horrible creature. We call them Chiropterans."

"Chiropterans?"

"They feast on the blood of humans. We've worked long and hard to collect information on Chiropterans for one purpose only: to destroy them. Saya, we need you, our secret weapon, to complete the mission."

"Did you say…me?" Saya looked to her father for confirmation. His face was serious.

"Yes, you are the only being that has the blood to bring absolute destruction to the Chiropterans."

"What do you mean…my blood?" Before Saya's question could be answered, the door opened. A hooded figure walked in.

"Sorry, but we're closed today," Georbe said.

"George," the man choked out.

"Oh my god, Forrest, is that you?"

"Help me."

"Help you? Hey, are you alright?" The man staggered across the room.

"I'm…thirsty," he said, sitting at the counter.

"Saya, get him some water," George instructed.

"Sure," she said, setting her bag down on the stool and running over to drink fountain. She hastily filled a glass with water and sat it next to Forrest, who sat up with a start. Quickly, he began to change.

"Saya!" David yelled, standing up quickly. "Get away from him!" David pulled out his gun, an S&W 500, as Forrest came after Saya, his Chiropteran claws plainly visible. David fired a shot, knocking Forrest across the room. Powerful as his gun was, he was only able to hold the beast off. Saya was the only one that could kill it.

"Why did you shoot him?" George asked, shocked. "David?" David circled Forrest with his gun.

"He's a chiropteran," David explained. "Quickly, everyone outside." George guided Saya out of the bar as David fired two more shots. Forrest's body forced the bullets out, healing itself in an instant.

"I can't hold him back much longer." Another shot, and Forrest lunged at David, pushing him out the empty door and into George's van, shattering glass. Forrest held David's gun in his mouth like the savage animal he was becoming, and groaned his beastly groan. George and Saya watched from across the street as the injured David collapsed to the ground.

Forrest walked toward the pair and stopped, dropping the gun to the ground in a trail of drool.

"Forrest, what the hell has happened to you?" George asked. The man stood there, panting. As he lunged at the pair, George moved Saya behind him, protecting her with his body. Just then, his attack was interrupted by a Cello case. That man again. He blocked the attack and threw Forrest clear across the street.

"Saya, you must fight now," he said, holding out the sword to her. She took it in her hands, remembering past fights and bloodshed. The horror of it stunned her, and she found herself unable to fight.

"Saya," the Cellist said, trying to get her to focus. It was no use.

"I can't," she said, trembling. "I can't do this." Forrest was advancing on them again, his eyes glowing red. "No, I can't!" Before she even knew what was happening, her father took the sword from her hands.

"Dad?" she was surprised at what she saw next.

"Saya is my daughter," he said firmly as he approached Forrest.

"Stop dad, please!" Saya called. The cellist stepped in front of her, blocking her from trying to stop him.

"I won't let you hurt my daughter!" George yelled, striking Forrest with the sword. It met Forrest's arm, which was no longer human and quite solid. His skin was almost impenetrable. He tossed George like a ragdoll, ripping his flesh and throwing him to the ground.

"Forrest…what's…happened to you?" George asked weakly. This awakened something in the man, a shred of his remaining humanity perhaps.

"Georgie…" his eyes returned to their human color. "Help…me." He staggered away, sobbing, into the night.

"No." Saya walked over to where her father lay. "Please, no." She dropped to her knees beside him.

"George," Nearby, David picked himself up off the ground. Kai ran from around the corner, stopping dead in his tracks when he saw his father.

"Dad!" he yelled, running to the scene.

"Dad…dad no," Saya watched as blood began to pool from under her father.

"Dad no. No," she sobbed into his chest. "No!" she called into the night.

She would never again question her father's love for her.

….

Wow, thank you so much to those of you who read and/or reviewed my story. It really means a lot I hope to start adding my own material to the chapters soon, as things start to come up.


	4. Dangerous Boy

Well, hello again. I really do appreciate that you guys are reading this story. I also appreciate your comments.

To answer the question of when my content will start to appear: if you look closely, and you're familiar enough with the original episodes, you'll start to notice some original scenes a few chapters from now. I have a lot of plans for this project. For example, I wanted to go more into detail about Haji's past (and a few other characters' pasts as well). I also plan to write at least one chapter for the year that passes between when Diva attacks Red Shield HQ, and when they are united again in London.

Ultimately, I also want to continue the story from where it leaves off in the Animé, to give it a more conclusive feel, but I want to write the story out pretty much as it was intended before I do so.

Sorry if the note was kind of long, and thank you again for reading.

…..

Chapter 4: Dangerous Boy

The pack of blood swung back and forth on the beam as the doctors rushed down the hallway. George had sustained severe injuries, and had lost a considerable amount of blood at the scene. Time was of the essence. Kai watched, stricken with emotion, as they wheeled him hastily to their destination.

"Dad," Saya panted, running along side the bed. "Hang on! Dad!" They watched George's rapid breaths through the oxygen mask. He was struggling to survive.

They pushed him into the operating room, leaving Kai and Saya alone with a male nurse.

"I'm sorry, but you'll have to wait out here," he instructed.

"Okay," she obliged. For a moment she just stood there, worried. Then, she heard Kai strike the wall with his fist. He was trembling, and his eyes were intense. He wore a look of fury.

"I'm sorry," Saya said. After all, she thought, it was her fault George got hurt in the first place. If she hadn't been so weak, and if she'd fought like Mr. David wanted her to, her father would be okay.

Unable to contain himself any longer, Kai took off down the hall. He had to fix this. He couldn't stand by and do nothing any longer. Saya just stood there with her fists clenched as he ran off.

…

Kai made his way out of the building, quickly finding his bike exactly where he'd left it. He now had a purpose. He hopped on his bike and started the engine, hurrying into the night.

He knew exactly what had to be done.

…

The heart monitor indicated that George's pulse and heart rate were low, but stable, and he was still relying on the machine to breathe. Outside his room in the ICU, Julia found Saya sitting by herself on the bench.

"How are you holding up, Saya?" she asked.

"Dr. Julia."

"Why don't you go home and get some rest," Julia suggested. "I'll keep an eye on him for you." She watched as Saya's expression changed.

"This is all my fault," Saya said shakily. "If it wasn't for me, he'd be alright." She tightly clenched her skirt with her hands. Julia stood with Saya for a while, pondering what she had said. She noted that, even in this extraordinarily difficult situation, the stimulation did not awaken what happened in Vietnam. Guilt was such an ordinary emotion for a situation such as this.

Julia was still contemplating as she made a cup of coffee from the vending machine. She was so lost in thought that she didn't notice David approaching. He wore a band-aid on his face, and looked totally exhausted. He'd even removed his tie a while ago.

"I wish you had brought him to my hospital," Julia said, examining the label on her coffee cup.

"I had no choice. He needed immediate attention," David said honestly.

"Do you think he might be infected?" Julia asked.

"I don't know."

"And you still brought him here?" He didn't respond. "You haven't changed," she said. "Compassion interferes again." She twisted her cup. "I continue to be loyal to the Red Shield, and will give him the best care I can. Have you even considered the impact this will have on Saya?"

"We will proceed as planned in order to destroy the Chiropterans," David said. He held a cross necklace in his hand. At the center of the cross was a red crystal.

"Failure or withdrawal is not an option."

"Do you think she will be emotionally able to handle it?" Julia asked.

"If we are to succeed with our mission, she must."

Saya had hardly moved from that bench all night. She had neither the desire nor the motivation to do anything else. She didn't have the heart to face Kai or Riku, and she felt it was her duty to stay by her father's side. It was the least she could do for him.

"When she was confronted with the Chiropteran at her father's pub, she did nothing," Julia remarked. "But when she first encountered one at her school she attacked and killed with precision. Why then and not now?"

"I suspect her servant was present," David said. It was true, the cellist was, and continued to watch over Saya, even as she sat alone in the hospital. He was never far.

"You mean the one in Joel's diary?" Julia asked. "He has appeared?"

"He was last spotted thirty years ago, and hasn't been seen since. I never dreamed that I'd see him with my own eyes."

Just then, Riku arrived at the hospital, out of breath from running the whole way.

"Saya, there you are!" he said when he found her. David and Julia watched Riku approach Saya and explain something to her that they couldn't hear from their distance. She quickly rose to her feet.

"What's happening?" David asked into his cell phone.

"We are done sealing off the bar but now we have a new problem," Lewis said on the other end of the phone. "Kai took off with George's pistol. He is going after Forrest, I am sure."

"He can't! "

"Riku followed him, and now he's missing too!"

"Saya! Wait!" David heard Julia call out.

Outside the hospital, Saya and Riku got into the taxi, and drove off. David ran after them, but it was too late. As he picked up his cell phone, Julia stepped out beside him.

…

Kai's friends were still at the gas station. After he'd left, they started getting high, an activity he preferred not to partake in. Now, they were playing games with their hands.

"One…two…three!" They chanted in unison.

"One…two…five!" One of them said.

"Five? What do you mean by five?" A man who gambled with them said. "What are you smoking, fool?" If only he knew.

"Kai? Yeah, he was here," Kai's friend, the boy with the afro, told Saya and Riku.

"When?" Saya asked.

"Earlier…" he said, not quite able to remember exactly when "earlier" was.

"Hey, guys! Where'd Kai go?" He called out.

"He said he was gonna look for that weird dude Forrest," the ponytail friend said.

"I knew it!" Riku said, turning to Saya.

"Do you guys know where?" Saya asked.

"He took off on his bike. Went to see that girl Forrest used to go out with, you know, Ramee? She works at that Amazoness bar, so maybe he went there."

…

The Amazoness bar was alive with neon lights, classical music, and the buzz of low conversations. The girl called Ramee was in the back corner talking on one of the bar phones when Kai entered. He walked over to the counter, where he was greeted by a female bartender in a purple tank top.

"Welcome," she said.

"I'm here lookin' for Ramee."

"Ramee?" She called across the bar.

"Sorry, not now. I'm gonna go get a pack of smokes," The brown haired girl with the bright red lipstick replied. She was definitely in a hurry, for some reason. No matter. Kai followed after her. He wasn't about to take "no" for an answer.

…

"Relax, I'm sure we're almost there," The friend with the afro reassured Saya and Riku as they passed groups of drunks on the sidewalk.

"Hey, didn't Forrest used to hang out at Kai's dad's pub?" The friend with the ponytail asked, having seemingly forgot the same conversation they'd had only hours ago.

"Yeah," Said the friend with the afro. "What a loser. He was gonna be deported back to the US. Ramee used to go on and on about marryin' him and going to Hawaii on vacation-" As the boy droned on and on, Saya and Riku wore identical expressions of bewilderment, until seemingly out of nowhere, Saya heard something.

Suddenly, she could feel her senses sharpening. Her vision was a red tunnel, blocking out all the unnecessary interference. As she looked around, Saya found that she could hear conversations, in great detail, from all the way across the street, and even inside the skyscrapers. Suddenly, the buzz of one voice overwhelmed her. _No, no, _she thought, covering her ears in a vain attempt to drown it out. What was happening?

She looked up at the sky, and the big, crescent moon overhead. As she stared at it, it began to blur, and her eyes glowed crimson.

"Hey," the guy with the afro startled her, silencing the voices. "Are you okay?"

"Sure…it's nothing," she said, feeling awkward.

"I wonder what that voice was," Riku said, walking with the ponytail guy.

"Voice? What voice?"

…

Back at the command center, they had also picked up on the "voice."

"We lost track of the target once again," the guy in the gray polo said, his eyes narrowing.

"Going back and forth, back and fourth. A human, a monster, how exhausting," Van rolled the red-wrappered candy through his fingers for emphasis. "Every time he disappears we take another step backwards. "We can't keep playing tag like this," he popped the candy in his mouth, savoring its sweet taste. "What's wrong with that radar of yours? Can't it do a better job?" he smiled condescendingly, prompting a groan and a sideways glance from the man.

"Staring at me's not going to help us find the mouse," he squeezed a candy in his palm. "And I'd still like to meet that Samurai Man." Just then, the man at the computer's headset beeped.

"Yes?" he waited for a response.

"Yes, I'll put him on." He handed the headset to Van.

"Hello commander," he said. "Sure, sure."

"…"

"The victim? Omoro? He's alive?"

"…"

"That's wonderful. Certainly. Please get hold of him."

"…"

Of course, yes. " He held up a piece of candy to the other man. "Wild Raspberry," he whispered.

"Yes, yes. Of course commander. Please, please proceed as usual." He took of the headset.

"Just as I thought, we're not the only ones on the move," he said to the man, who ate his candy.

"Now, lets go to the next location."

…

"I don't see Kai's motorcycle," said the guy with the ponytail. The four of them stood on the sidewalk, feeling defeated.

"Okay," said the guy with the afro. "Why don't you go in and have a look?"

"Me? B-but this bar is-" Just then, Saya and Riku walked off. Saya was stopped by none other than Mao Jahana, coming up the stairs.

"You are…" Mao gave Saya a calculating glance.

"Mao!" Afro guy called out. "What are you doing at a place like this?"

"What are _you _guys doing?" she shot back.

"Uh, we're just lookin' for Kai. Right?"

"Yeah," Ponytail guy agreed.

"Don't tell me you guys are looking for Forrest too!"

"What?" Said afro friend.

"Kai called and asked me to help him find Forrest," she explained.

"And where's Kai?" Saya asked.

"He's long gone," Mao said, looking down the street. "You're Saya, right? What happened to Kai?"

"Kai took off with a gun!" Riku exclaimed. "He said he was gonna find Forrest, and then kill him!"

"What? Then Forrest was the attacker at the pub?" Her eyes narrowed. "Kai…" She pulled out her phone and began dialing.

"Ah! Hi dad, it's me!" The group watched as Mao sweet-talked her father, the leader of the Japanese Mafia.

"My friends are in a bind, so I'm helping them look for some girl named Ramee who might be able to help us."

"…"

"What? Oh, don't worry. Sure, I'll be fine." She walked over to a dark colored car, where a man was holding the door for her. It paid to have connections.

"Of course. Yes, really. Thanks, I love you dad."

"Lets go," she said, hanging up the phone. "Saya, Riku, come with me. You guys keep looking for Forrest," Mao told Kai's friends. "Make sure you call me when you find him." And with that, they left, leaving two very confused young men on the side of the road.

…

Inside the car, Mao was making another phone call.

"Thanks, talk to you later." She hung up.

"But, you're telling me Forrest did that all by himself?" She asked Riku.

"I guess. I wasn't there."

"Well apparently _Kai _sure thinks he did."

"Right." Mao ran her fingers through her bangs, sighing.

"Once he gets mad, he doesn't care if it's the prime minister he's going after," She remarked. "Then again, that's probably why I like him so much." He cell phone rang as she received yet another phone call.

"Long time no talk. How have you been?"

And, atop one of the skyscrapers, the Cellist still watched.

…

Ramee walked out the sliding glass doors of the convenience store, having just purchased some food for Forrest, and a fresh pack of cigarettes. She was going to need them, the way her day had been.

She stepped out into the night feeling uneasy. She sat her grocery bags on the ground, and flagged down a taxi. Not far behind, Kai sat idle on his bike, waiting. His anger had turned him into a mad man. All that mattered to him was vengeance.

When the cab drove off, Kai made sure he kept his distance. Ramee was already suspicious. He didn't want to give himself away.

…

Back at the hospital, Julia was keeping a watchful, contemplative eye on George. Suddenly, a large, green covered truck with a red cross on the side pulled up in front of the building, joined quickly by an ambulance. Julia stepped around the corner, so she could watch without being noticed. Who knew who these people were, or what they were capable of?

Several men stepped out of the back of the ambulance, wearing yellow biohazard suits and respirators. Julia watched them pull out a stretcher, and guide it swiftly to the building.

"That's…"

…

Ramee quietly got out of the taxi. A growing feeling of dread washed over her as she walked toward the building. Something didn't quite feel right to her.

As quickly as the taxi had left, Kai's motorcycle rounded the corner, stopping abruptly. He took off his helmet and scanned the building for any signs of life. He couldn't see anyone, but he knew Forrest couldn't be far.

He noticed that one of the warehouse doors was bashed in. He figured something must have happened there, so that's where he would start. He pulled his father's gun from his waistline, looking it over. He'd never fired a gun before, but how hard could it be?

The warehouse door was locked. He kicked it a few times, finally forcing it open, and stepped inside. He pointed his father's gun as he surveyed the room, and saw two figures standing between some crates on the far wall.

The hooded figure, with his long, brown chiropteran claws, held Ramee's limp body. He was consuming her blood, and rapidly draining her of her life. His red eyes darted up, fixing to where Kai stood. Kai lifted the gun again, pointing it directly at Forrest.

"Forrest!" The man dropped the girl's now lifeless body. He rose to his full, massive height, startling Kai.

He came at Kai fast. A shot was fired.

…

"Kai!" Saya exclaimed from the back of the car. "Stop the car!" she commanded, interrupting Mao's conversation. "Stop now!"

"Kimora," Mao said to the driver. The car screeched to a halt.

"Thank you," Saya said as she let herself out.

"Saya!" Riku called out the open door. She wasn't waiting for him.

"Wait for me!" He yelled, hurrying after her.

"What the-" a dumbfounded Mao could only stare as cars honked their horns behind them. Annoyed, she got out and faced the angry driver.

"Oh, shut up!"

Lewis slammed on the brake.

"What's the matter?" David asked.

"It's Saya!" David caught sight of Riku running down the sidewalk. He got out of the van.

"Riku!" he called, but yet again, they were too late. "Dammit."

He ran after them.

…

Saya ran through the empty alleys. She was fairly certain of where she heard the shot. She just hoped she wasn't too late. She stopped abruptly at a small set of stairs.

The Cellist leapt from seemingly out of nowhere, landing gracefully before her. They looked each other over.

Slowly, carefully, Saya began to walk toward him.

"You hear their roars?" he asked.

"Tell me," she approached the man, who was still crouched on the ground. "You know what I'm supposed to do? Go ahead, tell me." Kai's life depended on her now. She would have to be brave.

"Saya," he said, his eyes closed. "Call me Haji. And, give me an order."

"Haji, help me. I need to rescue Kai. I just don't want to see anyone else get hurt. Slowly, his eyelids opened. The bandage covering his chiropteran hand slid off. It was a gesture Saya remembered; necessary yet terrifying. Using his dagger, which was garnished with a red crystal, he made a precise cut across his palm. Fresh blood dripped from one of its triangular edges. As he held out his palm, it dripped to the ground, soaking the concrete.

Saya's eyes widened and grew a bright shade of crimson.

…

Riku ran through the alley as fast as his little legs would carry him. He tuned the corner, noticing Saya down a small flight of stairs.

"Hey Saya!" She gave no response. "Saya?" What Riku saw next terrified him. Saya turned slowly, revealing her bright red eyes, and a trickle of blood that ran down her mouth. He gasped as the cellist, Haji, took her hand, and lifted her into the sky.

…

David saw Haji and Saya leaping onto the tops of buildings.

"Hey, that's-" Nearby, he found Riku on his knees, covering his ears.

"Riku, you okay?"

"Roaring," Riku moaned, his eyes intense. "What are they? They sound like lions. What…What are they?"

The question hung in the air. David could not believe that this seemingly ordinary human boy was apparently able to hear chiropterans.

…

Kai fired round after round of shots until the gun clicked in protest. It was out of bullets.

He jumped to the side, rolling away just in time as Forrest, or the beast that used to be Forrest, came after him again. This was truly not what Kai was expecting. It was far from his average street brawl. He watched in horror as one by one, all of the bullets that were lodged into the beast fell, crushed, to the floor. It was now completely uninjured.

It roared and came after him again. This time, Kai could only close his eyes, covering his head instinctively, as he prepared for the worst. He would soon be like the girl who lay near him- dead and completely drained of blood.

He opened his eyes and saw Saya, and that creep from the other day, standing on the rafters. The beast began to cough in protest.

He handed her the sword, which she willfully accepted. The beast's gasp turned into a wide, knowing smile as he saw this, his fingers spreading apart, revealing a mass of webbing that would put any flying creature to shame. As the webbing grew, it spread into wings that were not unlike that of a bat.

Kai could only watch as it took flight, heading for his sister. As it roared its great roar, Haji skillfully leapt onto its back, slicing it with his own claw. It screamed in protest.

They fell to the ground in a heap of dust, illuminated only by the occasional spark from Haji's dagger.

Kai stood, searching the room for Saya. She leapt of the rafters, and, much to his surprise, landed softly on the ground. Where had she learned to do that? She sliced her palm across the sword, filling its crevices with blood. It was clearly intentionally designed for doing just that.

The beast shot Haji across the room, momentarily moving him out of the way as he searched for his true target. But Haji knew he had to buy her more time. He grabbed its arms, fighting so hard to hold it back that blood began to drip from underneath his palm.

Haji released the beast as Saya stood knowingly, her blade prepared. The beast collided with the wall. He stood, blood dripping in mass amounts from where his arm had once been.

A single tear had formed in Saya's eye before she'd even managed to turn back.

Piece by piece, every bit of the monster, who had once been a man, began to crystallize. It was over now.

Overwhelmed, Saya stood alone in the middle of the building, moonlight streaming in though the skylights. Knowingly, Haji approached from behind her, startling her as he returned the sheath to the sword. Her sword.

Her eyes widened, and she fell to her knees, overcome with emotion. She began to cry, softly at first. Then, she began to sob with the realization that she was not normal.

She had slain a monster. Her innocence was gone.

…

A while later, the members of the red shield were zipping up the body bag that contained Ramee. Without its blood, the body was wrinkled and disfigured in a grotesque way.

It was nothing David and Lewis hadn't seen before. They loaded Ramee's body, and the Chiropteran's body, into the back of the van. Riku and Kai sat nearby on the crates.

Kai looked thoughtfully at his father's gun. He had failed again. It was maddening. Riku gazed at his older brother with wide eyes as the seagulls began to call. The sun was rising.

"Useless. I was totally useless again," Kai said to himself.

…

David and Haji stood back to back on the warehouse's loading deck.

"So you're the one who serves Saya," David said. "Is Saya fully awake now?" Bits of Haji's long, curly hair blew in the wind as he watched Saya from where she sat on a large pipe next to the ocean. "Not yet."

David answered a call on his cell phone. "David here."

"Where's Saya?" Julia asked from the other end. She was sitting in the back of a car.

"We got her, and a chiropteran. How's it going over there." Julia watched sadly as the truck that contained George made its way through the gates of the US military base.

"George has been kidnapped by _them_."


	5. Beyond the Dark Forest

Hello Chapter 5 is up! Thanks for reading.

I do not own Blood Plus

Chapter 5- Beyond the Dark Forest

The windowless lab, with its white walls, was cold and sterile. The only sound from inside was the sound of heart monitors keeping their steady pace, reminding the men their subjects, who lay perfectly still, were alive.

Strapped to one of the tables, covered in bandages, was George Miyagusuku. The blood bag hanging from his I.V. bore the title "D 67." One of the men in the yellow biohazard suits checked that it was still dispensing properly. He adjusted it.

These were the everyday happenings at Yanbaru.

…

Saya sat on the hospital bed, frowning at her feet, as Haji watched her from the corner, leaning on the wall with his arms crossed. She lifted her sword from her lap, carefully unsheathing it. It glowed in the light in an absolutely magnificent way.

She recalled a conversation from earlier that morning.

_ "Dad was taken away? Why?" Saya said, sitting on the sidewalk wrapped in a yellow blanket that David and Lewis had provided. "Where?"_

_ "We don't know the reason yet," David said. "Julia could only confirm that a vehicle with George inside entered the US military base." _

_ Kai and Riku stood off to the side, in a state of disbelief. _

_ "She was there? Well then why didn't she stop them?" Kai shouted. "How could she just watch dad being taken away and do nothing?" His posture was defensive. _

_ "If they discovered the true nature of our project it could be detrimental to our mission."_

_ "What the heck does that mean? What's gonna happen to dad then?" _

_ "We'll do our best, Kai. If our speculation is correct, then it is likely there are chiropterans where George was taken." _

_ "Chiropterans," Saya whispered, her eyes wide. She looked down, noticing a spot of blood on her leg. A reminder. Panicked, she began to wipe at the spot. _

_But there was no erasing the truth. _

_ "Come with me," David said. Only _you _can do it." _

_ Saya stood, making eye contact with Kai, who recoiled. He looked away, disgusted. It wasn't fair. _

_ "Alright, let's go," Saya said. _

_ "Hold it, Saya!" Kai stopped her as she was starting to walk away. _

_ "If it'll help us find dad, we're coming too." _

_ "But Kai!" Riku protested. _

_ "Come if you must, but stay out of the way. This isn't one of your street brawls." David began to walk away, not really knowing or caring that he'd struck a nerve in Kai. _

_ Kai went straight to his bike, mounting and starting it in seconds, much to the dismay of Riku, who struggled to catch up. This was quickly becoming a theme for him, it seemed. _

…

Saya gazed at her reflection in the sword. It hadn't changed at all, an idea she found preposterous. How could she, after slaying two monsters, still look the same? She was still petite, with wide brown eyes and short jet-black hair. She even still wore her school uniform.

Apparently, appearances could be deceiving. She retuned the blade, closing her eyes and resting it on her lap.

"I'm the only one who can save dad, right?" She asked Haji. He didn't even so much as blink in response.

"Haji? I need your help. Will you help me, please?"  
>"I will help you if that's what you wish," the stoic man replied.<p>

"Yes, thank you." Saya stood rather gracefully. For whatever reason, she believed she could trust this man. She had to.

Haji watched Saya leave the room, and turned his gaze back to her blade. He wondered to himself, if she'd be able to wield it now, after so many years. Would she be able to fight the way she did back then?

Would she remember the promise?

…

Saya made her way up the narrow, metal stairs that led up to the hospital's roof, where Kai and Riku had been waiting for her. When she opened the door, she heard them talking. She'd been wondering since the incident if Kai had come to resent her, or think she was strange for what he'd seen her do. This was her chance to find out. She put her back against the wall and listened, out of their sight.

The two were sitting on the ground against the wall. Kai tossed a baseball rather forcefully against a guard wall several feet in front of him, and then caught it when it returned. Nearby, some sheets Julia had washed from the hospital beds were hanging out to dry, blowing softly in the breeze.

"I hope dad's okay," Riku said.

"Dad's pretty tough. He's not gonna die so easily," Kai said, tossing the ball again, and letting it roll back to him.

"But it's been three days," Riku said. "Kai, why won't Mr. David give us any more information? If he did, then we could go look for dad. Then, we could tell Saya, too, and we could all go together."

"Saya's different from us, Riku," he said, throwing the ball so hard that when it made contact, the thud startled Saya from where she hid. So he really did feel that way. She was a freak, an outsider.

The ball bounced off Kai's foot and rolled sideways, over to where Saya was standing. This caused Riku to notice her.

"Hey," he said. "Is that you Saya?" Kai's eyes widened in horror. Had she really just heard him say that?

"Saya…"

"I'm sorry," she said. "I'm just…" Kai stood, sighing.

"Kai, where you going?" Riku called after him.

"Gonna take a walk." He passed right by her, and they both avoided eye contact.

…

"It's been over 72 hours since George Miyagusuku was taken away by the US military forces," David said into his cell phone. "We have our special agent here in Okinawa searching for him. Time is sensitive, and we're hoping to locate him within 24 hours." He made the call from Julia's office, where she half sat, half leaned on her desk, listening intently to David's side of the conversation.

"Well, we still don't know for sure. But I recommend that we send in reinforcements like we initially planned." Julia glanced at him over her shoulder.

"Yes, alright then. We'll manage this by ourselves." Julia's eyes narrowed.

"Saya, she's stable so far." Julia looked out the window where Riku and Saya sat. Saya's head was in her lap, her arms tightly around her knees. "Stable" was a relative term…

"Even after killing the chiropterans, she hasn't repeated what happened in Vietnam. At this point I think it's safe to assume she'll continue to function. However, her family's been dragged into this, and it could be a problem."

"…"

"Yes, I understand. Recovery of the record is our number one priority." He hung up the phone.

"What did headquarters say?" Julia asked.

"They won't be sending reinforcements for the infiltration."

"Well that's just great. Just when it seemed like we were about to reach it."

"We have no choice but to do this ourselves. As soon as George is located, we'll take immediate action. Have you heard from Lewis?"

"Lewis is having a tough time. David, only a handful of people know about this. And that even includes mostly US military."

"Now that we've gotten a hold of the slain chiropteran, they're starting to panic." Julia bent over and opened the bottom drawer of her desk. It was full of folders and documents.

"I found something disturbing in these records," she said, handing David one of the folders.

"So what is it?"

"I found the delivery received for the DNA sequencer transported to the US military base in Okinawa." She explained. David opened the folder to find a pamphlet. In the photo, a tall, white building with great pillars stood. The word "Yanbaru" was inscribed below it in cursive letters.

"What do you find so disturbing?" he asked, looking at the photos of the animals that resided there.

"The delivery was made to the nature conservancy center."

"Isn't that the US military facility for protecting that flightless bird?"

"Yes, there's nothing special about it. They give public tours of the facility, which is just an exhibit hall, and an office they use as a lab. Don't you think it's a bit peculiar that something like DNA research is being conducted at a place like that?"

"Chiropterans!" David said.

"Yes, probably."

…

Reporter Akihiro Okamura found himself at Naha University on a lead that he hoped to make bank on. Or at least, earn enough credit with his boss to not get fired. Needless to say, things had been a little rough for him. He could never seem to find the right stories to please the public or his boss.

That's why he was at the school, in the office of Dr. Hirohisa Sukekawa.

"Hello there," Okamura introduced himself. He was an average looking man- not tall but not short either with dark hair. He wore a green vest with multiple pockets, in which he kept small objects with varying degrees of usefulness.

"I'm Okamura with the Ryukyu Daily," he smiled politely. Dr. Sukekawa, an elderly man who wore thick-framed glasses and a lab coat, was not impressed at all. In fact, he was a little suspicious of the reporter. He'd been around a lot lately.

"It's you again," he groaned. "What do you want today?" Okamura forced a laugh.

"Please professor, if you could just spare a few minutes, I'd like to discuss the recent serial killer case with you. The corpse's throat was slashed, I understand," he gestured at his throat. "And that all the blood had been drained from the body, is that correct professor? And the autopsy was performed here, can you confirm?"

"Why do you want to know about it?"

"Well, I don't know professor. I'm a newspaperman looking for a story. I thought it might be a great headline if the soldier captured from the Koza high school case turned out to be a vampire or something," Okamura said smugly.

"It's true that we were initially requested by the police department to perform an autopsy. But a group from the military barged in during the procedure and seized the body, the tools, _everything. _I did manage to snap a few photos of the bastards!" he slammed his fist on one of his notebooks.

"Is that so? I'd really love to see them."

"I hardly think that would be appropriate," the professor scowled. "I'm sure you understand."

"Yes, of course." Okamura waited until the professor was busy with his coffee, then snatched the blue book off his desk.

"Don't you think the military has been a little overbearing lately, professor?" Okamura asked, trying to keep the other man distracted.

"It doesn't matter what you or I think. Never has, probably never will. Welcome to Okinawa." Okamura opened the book, revealing several very good pictures from different phases of the interrupted autopsy.

"I hear the other victims' bodies have been taken away as well."

…

Across town, David was confirming the same thing. "The bodies have been removed," David said into his phone.

"Thanks," Lewis said on the other end. David put it on speaker so Julia could hear.

"Not just the high school teacher in Koza," Lewis continued. "The bodies of all the serial killer victims were taken away by the military."

"And you're saying George is one of them?" David asked, his arms crossed.

"He has to be. And they all seem to be taken to Yanbaru." David and Julia exchanged glances.

"To Yanbaru?"

"Yeah, and it looks like there are other similarities as well. I'll look into it and get back to you."

"Great, thank you," David hung up the phone.

"Just like we thought," Julia said. "Do you think George is there, too?" Outside the room in the hallway, Kai stopped when he heard Julia say his father's name. It was just as he suspected: they were keeping information.

_"I'm sure of it," _he heard David reply.

_"What will you do about the kids?" _Julia asked.

_Saya is indispensable for our fight against the chiropterans I just need her and Haji to go with us to Yanbaru, and-" _Just then, Kai burst through the door.

"So you were just gonna leave us behind?" he shouted.

"There is no need for you or your little brother to come with us."

"If you're gonna rescue my dad, then I am coming with you!" Kai demanded.

"You will only slow us down."

"No I won't!" David and Kai glared at one another. Then David closed his eyes, and stood, grabbing the boy by the front of his shirt.

…

Outside on the roof, Riku was startled by the sound of the door opening, and a punch that was thrown. Then, he saw Kai stagger backwards into his line of sight.

"Kai!" Riku called out, causing Saya to raise her head, making eye contact with her older brother. He looked away, turning his attention back to David, who was removing his tie.

"Are you serious?" Julia asked.

"This punk refuses to listen," David said, removing his jacket. "He has to learn it the hard way." He tossed his jacket back, and Julia caught it. David put his gun on top of it.

"Ready any time, little man." Kai took a strike at David, which he caught. He grabbed the boy's forearm, squeezing the muscle painfully. He flipped him onto the ground.

"Kai!" Saya and Riku stood, shocked, as they watched their brother stand again. David was a skilled agent, trained thoroughly in weaponry and martial arts. However, Kai was never one to give up easily.

"Damn you!" he yelled, going after David again.

"Kai, be careful!" Riku said. Kai fell backwards, landing hard. He quickly got up again, attempting multiple strikes at David's head, all of which he skillfully dodged. David caught Kai's fist under his arm, and used it to flip him again. Saya grimaced as he hit the ground. The pain was so much now that he could barely move, so everyone was surprised when yet again, he tried to get up off the ground. He could barely stand, but he lunged at David yet again anyway, attempting to kick him but getting punched hard in the stomach instead. He doubled over and fell to the ground, leaving a very stern looking David standing over him. What both men had in common was anger, and now David was struggling to control his. The boy just didn't learn.

Kai came after him again, and David thrusted his knee into the boy's jaw. When he didn't get up, David lifted him up and kneed him in the stomach twice, before punching him in the face so hard he fell to the ground, but not before hitting his head on one of the building's support beams.

"Please stop it!" Riku called. He and Saya ran to Kai's side, unable to take anymore. David stepped between them.

"This is the world _we _live in, Kai. Someone like you cannot enter into _our _world." David watched as Kai's nose began to bleed.

"So now you know your place. Wait here, where both you and Riku will be safe. David's phone rang.

"Lewis."

"…"

"Confirmed. We'll definitely meet up there just as planned," he hung up.

"It looks like we've located George," David told Saya. "It's Yanbaru. Inform Haji immediately. We'll leave tonight. Understand?"

"I do." David and Julia walked away, leaving the kids alone.

"Saya, we want to go with you," Kai said desperately, trying to stand.

"Are you okay?" Riku asked.

"Kai, I don't want you to come," Saya said, as Riku helped him stand. "You and Riku wait here till we get back."

"What are you saying?"

"There's nothing you can do, Kai, but drag us down," she said quickly. "So stay here." She hadn't really wanted it this way, but she couldn't stand to watch him get hurt again. As she ran off, Kai sank to the ground again.

"I guess there's no need for me."

"It's not that," Riku said as Kai fell dramatically onto his back.

"Kai, I'm sure Saya said that because she doesn't want either of us to get hurt."

"I know that, Riku! But I made her a promise…that I would always be there for her. I let Saya down," he rolled over, clenching his fists. "Dammit to hell…"

…

The carpool containing Saya, Haji and David left around sunset. Most of the drive was through a dark, sinister looking Forest. Saya knew what was on the other side wasn't much less frightening.

David, who had been speeding most of the way there, stopped the car when he was flagged down by Lewis.

"Saya, go ahead and get ready," he commanded.

"Okay."

In the back of the van were several cases, mostly guns, and boxes of different types of ammo.

"This will work," David said, picking up what appeared to be a pretty standard hunting rifle.

"Just that?" Lewis laughed. "That's not going to kill a chiropteran."

"I'm not the one that's going to hunt them," David said defensively, looking across the road to where Haji and Saya were, opening the trunk of David's car.

"So, is she alright?" Lewis asked.

"She'll have no choice," David said, cocking his gun.

Haji removed his Cello case from the trunk, revealing a small, purple bundle in the back.

"What is that, Haji?" Saya asked curiously. She reached in, pulling it out carefully. She untied it.

"Rice balls?" A note was inscribed on the plastic wrap. _Give it all you've got, from Kai and Riku. _Haji closed his eyes.

"From Riku and Kai," she told him, feeling sad.

…

Back in Okinawa, the two brothers sat together on the roof, silently, looking out across the city.

"I wonder where she is," Riku said. "I hope she's okay."

…

Saya clung tightly to her brothers' gift, drawing strength from it. They needed her to succeed.

"Haji, the sword." Obediently, he unlocked the secret compartment of his case that contained the weapon.

"Take this," Lewis handed David a microchip from his shirt pocket. "A download containing all you need to know about the Yanbaru Conservancy Center," he explained.

"We should be back by the morning, so if we don't make it back-"

"You will come back, and I'll be waiting," Lewis said, smiling. "Right sir?"

"Absolutely. Are you ready?" He called to Saya and Haji. "Lets get moving."

"Yes."

The group sat off on foot down the trails, heading for the danger that lay beyond the dark forest. As they departed, a mass of bats passed overhead.

…

"Please, I'm not being unreasonable," Van said to the military officer and the commander. "The Yanbaru facility is already out of commission because of the mice situation. So what are you going to do, commander?" He dangled a bon bon with an orange wrapper from his finger tips. "Every miserable situation you create is another miserable situation you're going to have to deal with. It's simple logic, commander."

"You and your men are the ones!" The officer shouted, pointing an accusing finger at the Frenchman. "The ones that developed Delta 6-7."

"And please make sure to exercise the utmost caution when handling it," Van said, his ego unaffected by the man's outburst. "If I recall, the warning label says 'keep out of reach of children.' "

"Why, you!" The officer made a fist.

"Oh, come on now, lighten up. Why don't you have a sour ball?" he dangled a piece of candy at the angry man. "The fact is, you've gotten yourself into this predicament because you let the mice escape. I was just called in to…_clean up_ your little mess. Now of course gentlemen, if the Yanbaru facility is unsecure, and if the automatic self destruct control doesn't work, we have only one choice left." Van flattened his empty candy wrapper in the square ashtray, and lit a match, tossing it in. The wrapper melted and contorted into a black mess.

"Commander," Van said, standing. "Please set option D into motion.

"You want us to wipe out Yanbaru?" The commander couldn't believe what he was hearing. This man was insane.

"No, no, we are simply giving it back," Van chuckled, adjusting his glasses. "To nature."

…

Inside the dark, ominous looking nature facility, the clatter of breaking glass could be heard. The beasts were tearing the place apart. The gray haired man opened his eyes at the sound of the commotion, watching as a dent was put in the thick, metal door that contained him.

George was waking up.


	6. My Father's Hands

_Hello again, _

_I've been experiencing a little burn out as of late. School is starting soon, and juggling it with work will be interesting. There may be a little bit of a decline in the frequency of the chapters I put out, but I will get them out. As always, thank you for reading. And, also as always, I do not own Blood Plus. _

Chapter 6-My Father's Hands

Saya followed close behind David as he made his way through the building. Saya sat her hand on one of the displays, and was startled when it started to play its pre-recorded audio.

"Leave it alone," David said, irritated. "The facility is deserted, as we anticipated," David said, as they made their way into a room full of glass cases. "But something did happen here. We should proceed with caution."

"If they're gone, where's my dad?" Saya asked.

"Follow me," David said, rounding the corner. "When the conservatory was built, a large amount of soil was removed." He opened a pair of heavy doors. Saya peeked around him.

"Well they thought they were clever, but…" Inside the doors was a keypad. David plugged a black USB cord into one of the sockets. Then, he entered a series of numbers on his cell phone. Another set of huge, metal doors opened, revealing an elevator.

"This will lead us to the underground facility."

Saya knew exactly what was downstairs.

…

"Still can't decide? Might want to hurry before the entire city is infested with mice," Van taunted the military men.

"Commander, I believe the only choice we have left is to carry out Option D," the officer told him. "If we wait any longer, the public will discover the truth about the…_mice." _

"Alright," the commander finally said. Van stood up, applauding.

"Wonderful. Exactly what we expect from the military," Van said. "An absolutely brilliant decision."

"I wish we had other options, but we don't, Mister Argiano," the commander said, reclining in his chair. "This operation could have a very negative impact between the military and Japan."

"Don't waste your energy on such trivial things. What's more important is how with deal with the mice and Delta 6-7," Van said, suddenly serious. "If this gets mishandled, not only you but your Commander in Chief will be held responsible."

"Sergeant Brickman," the commander addressed the officer before him. The code as 'tango, alpha, echo, bravo, 03-04. Prepare to launch option D."

"Yes, sir."

…

The elevator arrived at the underground facility, revealing a dark, dusty hallway. David, Saya, and Haji ran down the hallway, unsure of what to expect at its end. David used his cell phone to unlock yet another door. As they ran through this room, Haji and Saya were beginning to notice bodies strewn across the floor. They were wearing yellow biohazard suits.

Saya gasped at the sight of one of the dead men, turning and running directly into Haji, who caught her in his arms. They both watched as David began entering numbers into a computer, searching the records.

"Where's my dad?" Saya asked.

"I'm working on it."

…

Back at Julia's clinic, Kai and Riku were sitting in the waiting room.

"Kai, do you think Saya found dad yet?" Riku asked.

"I don't know."

"So when dad finally comes home, things will go back to normal again, right Kai? I mean we are going back home, because we left without saying goodbye to Kaori, or anybody."

"We'll go back. I'm _sure _we will," Kai said, trying to reassure himself just as much as Riku.

"How did we get into a mess like this, Kai?"

"I don't know. You're just hanging out one day, and then you're being chased by these creepy monsters the next."

"What did you say?" The boys heard Julia say from the other room. She sat her phone on the desk, a look of complete horror on her face. Kai and Riku burst through the door. When they saw her expression, they both froze.

"What's the matter?" Riku finally asked. Julia fell back into her chair.

"The US forces are planning a massive airstrike on Yanbaru.

"What?"

"An airstrike?" both boys said at the same time.

"Did you let Saya and them know so they could get out?" Kai asked.

"The communications to the entire area around Yanbaru are jammed. Roadblocks around the city have been put in place, so they are completely sealed off. There is no way to reach them."

"I'll go on my motorcycle!" Kai exclaimed. "All of _you _may have failed Saya, but _I _won't!" Without another word, Kai took off down the hallway, leaving Riku and Julia stunned.

Once again, Kai took off on his bike on a mission, into the night. _Saya, I'll be there soon._

…

David was still searching the computer. As he did, Haji was watching something on the ceiling. A trickle of fluid was spreading across the grating.

David pulled the microchip Lewis had given him earlier, out of his phone, plugging it into the computer.

"Diva does not seem to be here," David said.

"So have you found anything yet?" Saya asked, looking over David's shoulder.

"The US military was trying to create artificial Chiropterans at this facility."

"Here? But why?"

"According to our records, there were very few incidents involving Chiropterans until the Vietnam War." As they took in what this meant, a red light began to flash on the computer's keyboard. "After the war ended, Chiropteran sightings continued to increase in number dramatically, but we didn't know why. When we analyzed the location of the sightings, without fail, they were all linked to areas of international conflicts. Vietnam, Central and South America, the Gulf War, Civil Wars in Africa."

"So many?" Saya asked, mystified.

"Right. And there are always US forces, large or small, or coalition forces working with the US military."

"US forces, but why?"

"To maintain order and security in the region, retaliation, or for the sake of democracy. The reasons were always different. But the one common thing was the need to bring the enemy under control at force. Interestingly, the locations where Chiropterans were spotted always coincided with the arrival of the US forces. On top of that, they were all dispatched by way of a certain base in the Far East."

"Do you mean…?"

"That's right. Okinawa. And we've come to Yanbaru to uncover the truth." 'D67' suddenly appeared on the screen.

"Delta 67," David said, his eyes wide. The clear liquid that was creeping down the grating dropped onto the keyboard. The group looked up to find a Chiropteran standing on the grates, staring down at them with its glowing red eyes. It kicked one of the squares out and jumped to the ground in front of them.

"Saya, fight now!" David commanded, removing the computer chip and pulling out his guns. Saya just stood there, terrified.

"Grab your sword!" Saya's sword was in her hand, but she felt absolutely no desire to use it. As it came after her, Haji grabbed Saya, leaping aside just in time. David fired a shot, knocking it to the ground temporarily.

"Come on, lets move it!" He fired more shots to keep it down as they made their way down the hall. If she wasn't going to fight, they were going to have to run.

"Hurry, we need to find George." Haji gave Saya a nudge to get her moving. They ran back to the end of the hallway to one of the big, steel doors. Haji hit the button to open them, but they were very slow.

They made it in. Barely. They listened as the beast struck at the door, over and over. The sound was chilling, but they were safe for now. There was just one problem.

"Looks like we're all trapped here," David said.

"I'm sorry. I just-" Saya started to apologize.

"If you don't kill, you'll get killed. On the battlefield you can survive only if you kill your enemy. When your life is at stake, Saya, all you must think about is survival," David said.

…

"We'll be ready for the airstrike in exactly two hours," the commander said, his back to Van. He was having a difficult time not regretting the decision.

"I see. But unfortunately, I don't think I'll have time to stay and enjoy the big fireworks at the end of the show. I was instructed by headquarters to go to the next location." Van said, twirling a piece of candy in its wrapper. _How convenient, _the commander thought. Everyone in the military knew this guy was a whack job, but what could they do? He was a powerful man.

"Exiting _early _are we?" He looked at Van suspiciously.

"No need to stay. I trust you'll be successful," Van dropped the candy on the commander's desk, a parting gift. "As your partner in crime, I'm wishing you the best. _Au revior, _commander."

The commander smacked the candy off his desk.

…

To say the highway was backed up would be an understatement. No matter for Kai, whose motorcycle allowed him to swiftly make even the narrowest passage. He didn't have time for such redundancies; he had lives to save!

…

Saya, Haji, and David sat against the wall in the dark room.

"It's awfully quiet," David remarked, rising to his feet.

"Take this," David tossed Saya a small electronic device. "You'll have to run to the elevator. Many of my colleagues have died protecting what's inside. It must make it out of here safely at all costs."

"But what about you?" Saya asked.

"I'll tell you what the plan is."

A while later, Saya sat on her knees while David guarded the door. She pulled out her sword, wincing as she cut her thumb to fill its crevices.

"Ready?" David asked. Haji hit the button with his bandaged hand. The door opened and revealed the monster, which had been waiting for them the whole time.

"Hurry, behind me!" David said as he began firing shots. They opened another door, where yet another Chiropteran was standing. Saya closed her eyes and pushed her sword into its belly. It groaned.

"Not deep enough," Haji said over her shoulder. She could only stare in fright as it reared its head and roared. Much to the surprise of everyone, George came running down the hallway, throwing his body at the beast, forcing Saya's blade in deeper. It crystallized and fell to the ground.

"That is what you get for trying to hurt my daughter," George panted.

"Dad," Saya said. "It's you!"

"Yeah," he smiled at her. "They haven't stopped me yet."

Moments later, the two were walking down the hall together, hand in hand.

"I see you had to leave Kai and Riku behind," George said to David.

"What about you? How badly injured are you, George?" David asked.

"When I woke up, I was all healed. Know anything about D 6-7? It was in my I.V."

"Delta 67."

"It figures you'd know all about it," George said. And David did. He tried to suppress the knowledge that there was no way things would end well for George.

…

Van stood just beyond the gate, watching the bombers prepare. His face was expressionless.

…

Meanwhile, on the empty forest road, Lewis was surprised to see someone arrive on a motorcycle. He braced himself, grabbing a machine gun.

"Lewis," Kai called. "It's me Kai, don't shoot!" He got off his bike. "Where are Saya and the others?"

"They are still in there," The large man said.

"Julia says this place is about to be bombed!"

"Are you sure about this?" Lewis asked, getting out his phone. The words, "No signal" appeared on his screen. "Damn this cell phone! I cannot get a signal!" Just then, Kai took off again.

"Kai," Lewis called after him.

"I've gotta warn them!" he said.

Hey man." He was already gone.

...

As the planes were just about to take off, Van's eyes were fixed on the bombs fixed to its underside.

"I cannot deny my one regret," He said aloud. "Never getting to meet the samurai man."

He walked away. His work here was done. As he did so, the two bombers took flight, headed toward their intended destination.

…

The green elevator display counted the floors as it moved.

"Wait!" George yelled. "Why's the damn elevator going _up_?"

"I don't know," David said.

"It's coming down now," Saya said.

"Alright," said David. "We'll hold out until it gets here." Three chiropterans rose out of the darkness, and David began to fire at them.

"What are you waiting for, Saya?" He added more ammo to his gun, the far less effective weapon.

"I don't…" She grasped the sword, searching within herself for the will to fight. It was not an easy thing to do. She forced more blood from her thumb as Haji tried to hold back the beasts.

George struck one, punching it in the face hard enough to make it bleed.

"We've gotta get 'em back against the wall," David told Haji. He fired shots until his gun was out of ammo again, pulling a pistol from his inner jacket pocket. All the while, Saya stood paralyzed with fear against the wall. She knew what she was supposed to do, so why couldn't she do it?

Once the chiropterans passed through, George closed the doors, sealing them off.

"We did it," he said. David released the rest of his ammo into his pocket. As he did so, another chiropteran dropped from the ceiling landing between him and Saya.

"Saya!" George yelled, running to his daughter's aid. The chiropteran swiped at him with its claw, easily shredding through the blue hospital scrubs George was yelling, ripping the skin on his abdomen.

"I can't move," Saya said as she watched the blood fall to the ground.

"You ugly bastard!" George attacked the Chiropteran again, punching a hole clean through it. As it fell to the ground, Saya summoned all the courage she had, screaming as she stuck her sword into its belly. The effort was good enough, for it began to crystallize on contact.

George fell to his knees, unable to take the pain any longer.

"Father!" Saya exclaimed as she pulled her sword out of the monster. Mass amounts of blood began to fall from his stomach, and when he reached out, Saya was surprised by her father's left hand. It was no longer human, but the claw of a beast. In fact, his entire left arm had changed.

"Dad? Can't be." Haji looked up to see the elevator arrive on their floor. Someone, or something had just found them. David pointed his gun as the door opened, but soon discovered it was Kai who stood before him.

"Get out! They're gonna bomb this place!" Kai yelled.

"Just what we need," David said, putting away his gun. Saya turned and looked at Kai. She was on her knees next to their father who lay motionless, a look of agony on her face.

"Oh, Kai…" He stepped out of the elevator, his eyes wide. There were no words for what he was seeing.

"Oh no," he said, his voice uncharacteristically soft. "It can't be."

"Kai," George said, shaking as he kneeled over a pool of his own blood. "You're here."

"Oh, father."

"Just in time to say goodbye." Blood continued to drip, and George could feel himself growing weaker. The more blood he lost, the more he could feel himself change.

"Before long, I'll turn into a monster like Forrest. As my wounds start to close up, I can feel it. I'm losing my mind…" Everyone, even David, watched with horror as George kneeled in his own blood, trembling. He forced himself off the ground, sweating profusely.

"Saya, you're going to have to do it. Only your blood can kill these monsters. You must mix your blood with mine. Then I can die now…while I'm still your father." Kai sank to his knees beside Saya.

"Saya, it's up to you now," Haji said.

"Wait!" Kai cried. "Can't someone do something?" David closed his eyes, shaking his head. Kai clenched his fists.

"Dammit," he cursed, wiping furiously at his eyes. "Dammit to hell!" Saya reached out, grasping her sword, lifting it slightly. Kai gasped when he saw Saya slice her palm. Quietly, she forced her blood into the weapon, tears streaming down her face.

"David…please?" George begged.

"Of course." David helped him sit up.

"Saya," George groaned. "Time is running out! You'd better hurry!" Slowly, shakily, Saya lifted her hand, dripping blood all over herself. As she did so, some of the blood dripped into the pool of George's blood, which began to crystallize.

"I can't do it. I can't," She sobbed, squeezing her hand. George reached out with his Chiropteran hand, clasping Saya's bloody one with it. He smiled weakly at her.

"Saya, I am still your father. Isn't that right, sweetheart?"

"Yes." He looked to his son.

"Kai, don't cry. You're the man of the family now. Take good care of your brother and sister."

"I will." George Squeezed Saya's hand, causing her blood to trickle down his arm, into his open woud.

"Saya, wherever your life takes you, always follow your heart. You must learn to _accept _your past. And when you feel like giving up, remember- _nunkurunaisa. _Live for today, but look forward to tomorrow. And don't forget to smile."

George began to crystallize.

"No, Dad!" Saya sobbed. It spread upward into his eyes as he tried not to scream from the pain.

"Father no!"

He was gone.

Suddenly, a chiropteran kicked loose another section of grating from the ceiling. Two of them leapt to the ground, then a third. _Live for today, but look forward to tomorrow. _Saya lifted her sword. _And don't forget to smile. _Almost effortlessly, she cut the head off the first beast, cut the second in half, and the third.

…

"She's not losing it again, is she?" David asked Haji.

"Saya has simply remembered her purpose." As the two men spoke, the bombers were overhead carrying out their mission. "She knows she must fight to protect what is important to her."

The bombs went off in a mass of smoke and fire, but the exhausted group was already on the road. Wordlessly, Saya stared out the window of David's car.

…

A while later the group came to a stop near a pier. It was pitch dark out, but one could still make out the shape of the massive ship that was before them. Kai killed the engine on his motorcycle, and approached David as he got out of the car.

"What's going on?" Kai asked, his hands on his hips.

"Headquarters is aboard this ship. There are some people I need to meet with before Saya has her next mission," David explained. Haji and Saya stepped out of the back of the car. Saya was still covered in blood- her father's blood.

"But what about Riku? He needs to know about dad," Kai said, fighting back the tears that threatened to overtake him once more.

"I'll give Julia a call once we're on board. She and Riku will be able to join us soon. I need you to be _patient. _Don't make things any worse than they need to be.

Just then, Saya collapsed backwards into Haji's arms. He scooped her up.

"Saya? Saya, what's wrong?" Kai practically yelled. "Is she hurt?"

"She wore herself out fighting. She must rest now," Haji explained.

And she did rest- for three days straight.


End file.
